TheCable

Some residents of Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state, have appealed to Governor Kayode Fayemi to relax the dusk -to-dawn curfew imposed on the state last week following the violent activities of some thugs.

The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, lamented the adverse effect of the curfew on their businesses.

Following the violence, which broke out as a result of the murder of Omolafe Aderiye, a  loyalist of the governor-elect, Mr Ayo Fayose, Fayemi imposed the curfew on Friday.

But on Monday, many residents of the state urged the governor to reduce the curfew period to between  9pm and  6am.

The residents include owners of night clubs, women traders and operators of viewing centres.

A night club operator in Adebayo area of the state capital, Mr Fidelix Chukwuma, said the peak of daily sales was usually between 7pm. and 11pm.

Chukwuma said the curfew had shut out all his customers who no longer come out for fear of arrest.

A beer seller at Ajilosun area of Ado-Ekiti, Mrs Foluke Adekanbi, expressed regrets that customers now leave her shop at about 6pm in order to beat the curfew, resulting in low sales.

A trader at the popular Irona market, Mrs Tinuola Akinyemi, said she was in the habit of displaying her food and cooking items for sale late in the evening because of the sun and selling to patrons till 10pm.

The septuagenarian said the curfew no longer allowed her to come out, yet she had no other source of income.

A roasted meat (suya) vendor, Garuba Suleiman said: “We are not all criminals; policemen and soldiers can easily identify who the  hoodlums are.

“The curfew has lasted four days now, yet we do not know when it will come to an end because it is indefinite.”

Mr Kayode Ilori, a civil servant, said the curfew now forces workers to come late to their offices, as no vehicle or motorcycle would ply the streets until about 7am.

Public relations officer of the Ekiti state police command, Mr. Victor babayemi, revealed that 19 people had been arrested in connection with the murder of Aderiye, who is a former Ekiti state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

But he said those arrested remained innocent until investigation proves otherwise.