Kaduna markets experience influx due to curfew relaxation

By HUSSAINA YAKUBU

The three major markets in Kaduna metropolis, on Thursday, witnessed influx of people as a result of relaxation of the curfew earlier imposed by the State Government.

The News Agency (NAN) reports that at Checheniya, Abubakar Gumi and Veterinary markets, all within the Kaduna metropolis, people were buying all kinds of commodities, particularly food stuffs and medicine.

NAN also reports that the development resulted in serious in and around the markets, with many motorists packing their vehicles several metres away from the markets.

Ibrahim Lawal, a resident, told NAN that the essence of the lockdown, which was to stop the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, might be defeated, as social distancing was not practiced due to the influx of people to the markets.

“The reason for the influx is because people were not given enough notice to stock their homes before the lockdown, and government only relaxed it from yesterday till midnight today; hence the rush to buy items for their homes.

“When government announced the curfew, a lot of people had no money to stock, while others who were able to stock now have the opportunity to restock,” he said.

Some of the traders interviewed said that since they sold perishable food items, it was necessary for them to sell all the items, they would get rotten due to the lockdown.

Another resident, Mr John Emmanuel, disclosed that he was a diabetes patient and that usually bought his routine drugs, adding, however, that because of the curfew, his drugs had finished, thus leading disease relapsing.

“I and many others, who take routine drugs, are here to buy our drugs, because we can’t predict this situation anymore, especially as the cases increase every day,” Emmanuel said.

Some poultry farmers also told NAN that they were at the market to buy feed, vaccines and drugs for their birds.

“We suffered the most during the lockdown. Some farmers recorded mortality, while other birds got infected with diseases, as we had no access to drugs.

“We are not taking any chance now; that is why we are stocking feed and drugs,” they said.

NAN, however, reports that other shop owners, who sold other commodities aside drugs and food, defied government rules, as virtually all shops were opened in the market.

A trader, Chidi Godswill, said they that had made transactions before the curfew which they needed to deliver to their respective customers.

NAN also reports that security agencies were stationed in different parts of the city to control traffic.

Also, long queues were also observed at some ATM galleries of Zenith, UBA and Access, with many of them standing close to one other, in defiance to the social distancing order of government.

Some of the banks also closed their main gates and refused customers access into their premises.

The customers, however, stayed put because, they needed cash before the curfew lapsed at midnight. (NAN)