Commercial activities were brought to a standstill in the famous Yaba Market in Lagos on Monday over the outcome of the presidential election held on Saturday.

FIJ learned that thugs suspected to be fans of Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), stormed the market in the morning and prevented marketers from opening their stalls.

Speaking to FIJ, a man who only identified himself as Ahmed, said the thugs ordered the market to be temporarily locked because they were angry that Tinubu lost the election in Lagos.

He also said the thugs blamed the success of Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, on the Igbo people in the market who voted against Tinubu.

“This morning when they came, they said the Igbo people would not be allowed to sell their clothes in the market because they all voted for the Labour Party instead of the APC on Saturday,” Ahmed told FIJ.

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Ahmed, who is from Edo State, said he could not tell them he was not an Igbo man, and had to comply with what the thugs said because they were ready to deal with anyone who refused to obey them.

Ahmed’s story is similar to that of Monday Odion (not real name), another seller in the market. Odion told this reporter that the refusal of the thugs to come to terms with the success of the Labour Party in Lagos would cause unimaginable tribal problems.

He stated that some mobile police officers had come in the morning to prevent the thugs from being violent in the area, but immediately they left, the thugs would not allow people to do anything.

According to him, due to the outcome of the elections and the victory for the Labour Party in Lagos State, the thugs ordered the markets to be shut.

“They are furious that Tinubu lost the election, and they are taking out their anger on the Igbo people in the market. They keep saying the Igbo people voted for the Labour Party and wanted to destroy Lagos State,” he said.

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“This problem has gone beyond Yaba and has got to Lagos Island. The thugs are not allowing Igbo people to sell on the island.”

When this reporter visited the market today, the crowdedness for which the market is known seemed to be absent, as many stalls were empty and shops were closed.

At about 1 pm, this reporter also saw a group of young men who kept saying no one must open their shop. These men accused the Igbo people of voting for the Labour Party.

Many Twitter users have also alleged that thugs suspected to be APC supporters are decimating the properties of shop owners and halting commercial activities.

Tunmise Ajiboye, a Twitter user, said Yaba Market was closed down because they didn’t vote Tinubu in.

Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), did not answer FIJ’s call. At press time, he also had not responded to the text message sent to his phone.