For over five decades, Alaba Rago Market stood as a lifeline for thousands of Northern traders in Lagos. Known for food, livestock, and scrap metal, it wasn’t just a market but a community built from scratch on swampy land by Hausa traders who poured their sweat and resources into its growth.
But today, that lifeline lies in ruins. The Lagos State Government has demolished the 45-year-old hub, citing congestion and disorder. Traders, however, insist they were blindsided—no proper notice, just bulldozers tearing through over 3,000 shops, dozens of mosques, and livelihoods worth more than ₦20 billion.
This is the second demolition in less than a year, leaving families stranded and dreams shattered. “We built this place with our hard-earned income, yet the government that never invested in us came to destroy it,” lamented Alhaji Adamu Katagum, deputy to the market leader.
For many, Alaba Rago was not just a marketplace but home. Now, amid the dust and debris, traders are left wondering how to rebuild their lives from zero.
