Oyo govt suspends Bodija market leaders over illegal collection

Oyo State government has suspended the executive council of Bodija market over an alleged illegal collection of revenue from traders.

Caretaker Chairman, Aare Latosa local council development area (LCDA), Mr Adewale Osoniyi made the government’s decision known to journalists on Friday.

Osoniyi noted that the state government had been inundated with complaints of illegal collections whereas agreement was only just reached that collection of ground rent from the traders should begin in July.

He noted that the executive members of the traders association were fingered in preliminary investigation and arrest of some perpetrators behind the illegal collection.

The suspension, according to Osoniyi, is to allow for proper investigations into the allegations.

He avowed that the vacuum created by the suspension of the executives will not translate into any rancour within the market.

“Some people are involved in collecting illegal monies from the traders. There was a little fracas on Thursday between some of our daily revenue collectors and the market traders union.

“We have been hearing the rumour that we have sent people out to be collecting money on behalf of the state and local government, particularly on behalf of the Governor and the local government chairman.

“But, truly, nobody has sent anyone to collect any revenue from the traders for the government.

“The mode of payment that people know is still what we are using. Traders only pay into a government bank account and only show teller to the government task force. And by the grace of God, we are starting the revenue drive from the first week of July with the collection of ground rent.