The Ijumu Local Government Council of Kogi State has ordered the immediate closure of the Iyara Zango Market, a popular livestock market, due to security concerns.
Haruna Ibrahim, the council chairman, confirmed the event, stating that the decision was based on genuine evidence suggesting that kidnappers and other criminal groups were utilizing the market as a base for their operations.
According to reports, after the shutdown of Zango markets in other parts of the state, particularly in Kogi Central, criminal gangs moved their operations to Iyara.
Ibrahim stated that the market will stay closed till further notice, with security personnel deployed to execute the injunction.
He further stated that Governor Usman Ododo has directed him to remove the local government of criminals ruining its image through kidnapping and banditry.
The chairman reaffirmed his commitment to public safety, warning that anyone attempting to disrupt government operations would face the full force of the law.
