Three female traders lost their lives when a broken-down building fell on them in the Arakale area of Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday.
As an effect, members of the Fish Sellers’ Association of Nigeria protested against the alleged tyranny of leaders of the body, which forced the government to suspend the activities of the leadership.
NEWS NAIJA gathered that the deceased, who were fish sellers, were hiding inside the broken-down building in order to escape arrest by the task force set up by the association to impose the payment of certain fees.
One of the victims, Mrs. Dorcas Ajayi, was said to owe the association N1, 000.
Her husband, who simply identified himself as Mr. Ajayi, said his wife hid her wares in the dilapidated building so as not to be seized by the task force.
Mr. Ajayi said, “I was on the farm when I received a call that something had happened to my wife. I found my wife died and took the body to the mortuary.
“They sold a form to her at the rate of N2,000 and she had paid N1,000. They wanted to collect the balance and she went to hide her goods in that building. It was at that time that the building collapsed on her and the two others.”
The son of the deceased identified as Segun described the death as tragic and blamed the workers carrying out the demolition of the building for the death of his mother.
When contacted, Mr. Tee-Leo Ikoro, the state Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident and said an investigation had started.
Ikoro said “The house collapsed on the fish sellers; one died on the spot, while the others died later,”