In their bid to find lasting solution to the crisis which engulfed the popular Sasa market in Ibadan, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has currently led four governors of the Northern zone of the country to the Palace of the Serkin Sasa, Alhaji Haruna Maiyasin.
The governors are, Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Bello Matawalle(Zamfara), Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi) and Abubakar Bello(Niger).
The team which include security heads in the state, Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Security, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Chairman Advisory Council, Sen Hosea Agboola, and former speaker, Senator Monsurat Sumonu were received warmly to the palace of Serkin Sasa.
There twas heavy presence of security in strategic places within and outside the market with aerial survellaice by the Nigeria policeforce.
While welcoming the governors in an opening remark, the Serkin Sasa of Ibadanland, Alhaji Ahmodu Zugeru who regretted the unfortunate incident however, lauded Governor Makinde for his peaceful relationship with the Hausa community since the inception of his administration.
Speaking at the palace, Governor Makinde sued for peace and promised that his government would find means to restore peace to the community.
In an interview with Special Adviser to the governor on security matters, former commissioner of police rtd, Fatai Owoseni said, with the level of deliberation and understanding that ensued thereafter, and the peace talk with youths from both sides, it was hopeful that peace and unity would reign in Sasa henceforth.
The Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has described the alleged leadership tussle between the Yorubas and Hausa Community as one of the factors that triggered the ethnic crisis at the Shasha Market that is predominantly dominated by the two tribes.
Atiku Bagudu, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara and And Abubakar Bello of Niger State were on Monday Evening paid a solidarity visit to Governor Seyi Makinde on Shasha crises which ultimately snowballed into killing of countless lives and destruction of valuable properties.
Bagudu while answering questions from the press men shortly after their visit to the scene of sad phenomenon disclosed that investigation showed that the leadership tussle at the market had not a gainsaying contributed to the killings and destruction of properties.
Adding that, though there was issue of a man pushing the wheelbarrow with tomatoes that eventually fell in front of a woman’s shop, stressing, that was not the major thing but the contentious issue of leadership on whom between the Hausa and Yoruba will take the mantle of leadership in the market was the bone of contention.
Bagudu said that it was a thing of joy that normalcy and peace had returned to the place and its environs, adding that an effort taken by Makinde to ascertain peace, oneness and togetherness couldn’t be taken for granted.
He reiterated that he and other northern governors who were on a solidarity visit to Oyo State, had without mincing words hailed Makinde on his proactiveness and charisma to ensure that the crisis was prevented from degeneration into uncontrollable phenomenal.
On area of one Nigeria, Bagudu said that while they were coming to Shasha market, they called at Bodija market to see how different tribes were conducting their business transactions, saying that their cordial transactions had justified the oneness and unity between the yorubas and other tribes residing in Ibadan and entire pacesetter state.
On what might likely cause reprisal attack, Bagudu said that the needful will be done at the level of Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF) to preclude the subsequently precarious events and sustenance of peace across the nation.
He warned the agents and carriers of fake news to completely desist from publication of fake and unsubstantiated news which are capable of causing tensions and ethnic crises.
He made disclosure of undisclosed amount of financial assistance to assist the victims who were greatly affected by the gravity of crises that ravaged the market and its environs.
Bagudu revealed that the subsequent assistance to the victims will be made known after the issue had been tabled before other colleagues in NGF.
