Who's really in charge of law, order in Apo?' Tyre dealers question Police over market violence

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — The Abuja Automobile Tyre Dealers’ Association on Wednesday accused the Nigeria Police Force of failing to rein in what it described as persistent violence in the Apo Tyre Market, asking a pointed question that summed up its frustration: ‘Who’s really in charge of law and order in Apo?’

Saying they could no longer watch their members live and trade in fear, the traders appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other relevant authorities to intervene, alleging that repeated attacks, destruction of property and petitions to the police had produced little or no action.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the association’s Secretary, Arinze Okoye, said the body had resorted to a public appeal after exhausting other channels. He traced the crisis to a leadership dispute involving the association’s former chairman, Chimezie Ifeh, before accusing him and his supporters of unleashing violence on traders and operating with impunity.

“If a Divisional Police Officer can sit in his office, receive our petitions, watch our members bleed on video evidence and still refuse to lift a finger, then we ask, plainly: who is truly in charge of law and order in Apo?” Okoye asked.