The Nigerian Army is currently demolishing the popular Mammy Market in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, displacing hundreds of traders and residents.
The operation, which targets structures around the 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army Barracks, located along the DSC Expressway and NPA Road as well as Sapele Road axis, has left scores of families homeless and traders without shops.
Residents said soldiers supported by bulldozers moved into the area as early as 6 a.m., pulling down shanties, container kiosks, shops, residential buildings and beer parlours that had operated for years close to the barracks fence.
Close to one million civilian residents and traders in the Mammy area were affected, according to local reports. Some alleged they were given as little as 24 hours to three days to vacate, after initially being told that only hotel operators were affected.
“Initially, they told us that only hotels had been asked to leave and that those of us living here were not the target. But by Wednesday morning, we saw soldiers shouting, ‘No Mammy again, no Mammy again,’ and ordering all of us to move,” a resident was quoted as saying.
Military sources said the demolition was necessary to address security concerns and reclaim encroached government land.
Mammy Markets are a feature of Nigerian military barracks and National Youth Service Corps camps, serving as social and economic centres for personnel and their families. The concept is traced to Mammy Maria Ochefu, who in 1959 began selling soft drinks including kunu to supplement her family’s income in a barracks.
In Effurun, the market has existed for decades alongside the barracks. The barracks itself was constructed after land was acquired in 1975 by the then Mid-Western government. Community leaders in Uvwie claim over 2,000 hectares to 4,640 acres were acquired, but less than 10 percent is occupied by the barracks and Mammy Market.
The dispute over compensation and ownership has led to repeated protests by Uvwie women and legal actions over the years.
Aside from normal goods such as tomatoes, livestock and other food items, security sources have long associated parts of the Effurun Mammy Market area with illegal activities, including large-scale drug dealing and arms dealing.
With the demolition, residents both legitimate and criminal elements are now scattered around towns and cities within Delta State.
Security surveillance teams have issued advisory urging residents to:
– Look out for unfamiliar faces around their environment.
– Stay vigilant.
– Keep their properties safe.
– Avoid late night movements around unsafe places.
– Report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agent.
“Security is everyone’s business so we need your maximum cooperation to achieve a saner society,” the groups said, adding that they would work to ensure a safer Uvwie, Okpe and Warri communities.
The Army is yet to issue an official statement on the latest demolition exercise.