Victims of the Apata fire disaster have taken to the street in protest against the adopted sharing formula of N10m released to cushion the effect of their losses by Governor Seyi Makinde.
Governor Makinde during an on-the-spot assessment of the magnitude of losses announced N10m palliatives.
The released fund, according to Makinde is aimed at assisting the victims of the incident.
However, the affected traders have alleged the leadership of the market of inputting the names of some traders that were not affected by the inferno.
The aggrieved traders during their visit to the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan on Thursday disclosed that the list of the affected traders has witnessed a geometric increase from 45 to 70.
Speaking on behalf of other protesters, Olasunkanmi Adunni and Temilade Makinde alleged the leadership of the market doctored the list to accommodate those who were not affected, while their representatives apportioned to themselves huge sums.
Adunni, popularly known as Iya Agoro, said, “I am a bread and essential goods seller affected by the fire. The first day that the governor visited the scene of the accident, he promised to give us N10 million as relief fund and later, his representatives brought the cash to us.
“There were 45 names in the list but unfortunately, that list increased with those who were not affected included. In fact, we don’t know the new beneficiaries. The house I lived in and stored my goods was burnt and I was only lucky to escape with my four children.
“Initially, the sum of N500,000 was penciled as the amount I was to collect but I was only given N100,000. Aminat Bamidele, who did not lose anything to the fire because she was not among the traders affected got N300,000. Someone who claimed to be a shoemaker got N200,000. I lost over N12 million worth of property to the fire.”
Makinde, also known as Iya Dada, whose store was burnt in the fire, said she was promised N500,000 but got N60,000.
“A day before the fire incident, I stocked the store with N1.3 million worth of foodstuff but everything is gone including the building housing the store. In the list, N500,000 was estimated as compensation for me but after the list was doctored, I was given N60,000.
“We appeal to the governor, Seyi Makinde to investigate the disbursement of the money and retrieve victims’ money from imposters,” she pleaded.
