On a bustling Friday morning, June 6, 2025, the Ifo Market in Ogun State was alive with traders displaying their goods and customers seeking Sallah deals.
By noon, however, the vibrant market turned somber as tragedy struck. Blessing Eze, a 33-year-old mother of two, wife, and trader, lay in a pool of her blood, stabbed and dying. Her only alleged offense? Refusing to pay a group of touts, locally known as agbero, a demanded “Sallah money” during the Eid Mubarak festival.
Blessing, from Mgbom Enu in Mgbom Na Achara Autonomous Community, Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, was a beloved figure in the market. Known for her kindness and cheerful demeanor, she was a devoted wife and mother. Her death has left her family, community, and fellow traders in deep mourning and outrage, spotlighting the pervasive issue of extortion and violence in Nigeria’s informal markets.
John Eze, Blessing’s brother-in-law, recounted the harrowing events in an interview at his modest electronics shop near the market. “Blessing wasn’t just my sister-in-law. She was my sister,” he said, his voice heavy with grief. “We saw that morning. We even greeted. I still can’t believe it.” John recalled their last interaction around 10 a.m., when he passed by her stall, wished her good sales, and inquired about her children. Moments later, chaos erupted as traders rushed to his shop with the devastating news: “Your sister-in-law has been stabbed!”
John found Blessing bleeding profusely from her chest. With the help of other traders, he rushed her to a nearby hospital in a tricycle, only to find no doctor available. They then took her to Ifo General Hospital, but despite their efforts, Blessing was pronounced dead. “Two doctors came out and said, ‘We’re sorry. She’s gone.’ I broke down. I begged them to try something—surgery, oxygen, anything,” John said. Even at the mortuary, he clung to hope, noting her body was still warm. The hospital briefly attempted to revive her, but by 4 p.m., her body stiffened, confirming her death.
Witnesses reported that Blessing was accosted by young men collecting an illegal levy for the Eid Mubarak festival. Some claimed the demand was N200, others N1,500. When Blessing, who had not made any sales that day, refused to pay the “N200 Sallah levy,” an argument ensued. One of the touts allegedly fetched a knife, stabbed her in the chest, and fled. Days after the incident, her attacker’s identity and fate remained unclear. “Some said the boy was lynched. Some said he was arrested. I haven’t seen the person or heard his name,” John said, noting the family’s focus was on saving her life that day.
The killing sparked widespread outrage among market women and shop owners, who decried the routine extortion and harassment during festive periods. The Igbo Market Union at Ifo Market shut down businesses for four days starting June 8, 2025, in solidarity and mourning. Traders called on the Ogun State government and security agencies to address the menace of touts and violent louts threatening lives and livelihoods. One trader recounted a prior incident involving the son of the market head, Waheed, who allegedly stabbed his wife but faced no consequences due to his connections.
Theophilus Ikpeghibumo, the Baba l’oja (market head) of Ifo Igbo Market Traders, expressed shock, stating, “Igbo traders in this market have been experiencing all manner of intimidation and injustice for a long time. But this incident was just shocking.” The Mgbom Na Achara Development Union (MADU) in Blessing’s home community in Ebonyi State vowed to pursue justice, with its President-General directing the Western Zone to collaborate with Igbo and traders’ associations in Ogun State. “We must not allow this murder to be swept under the carpet,” the PG said in a condolence message, emphasizing the need for accountability.
Prof. Joy Ezeilo, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Nigeria and founder of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), condemned the killing as a “heinous act of gender-based violence” and a symptom of systemic failures in Nigeria’s security and governance. She demanded a full-scale police investigation, the arrest of the perpetrators, and a public condemnation from the Ogun State governor. Ezeilo also called for the disbandment of unauthorized revenue collectors, enhanced security for witnesses, and a comprehensive inquiry into the conditions faced by women in informal markets.
Blessing’s husband, who works abroad, was devastated by the news. John, who broke the news to him, said, “He cried like a baby. He’s alone there, and there’s no one to hold him.” The couple, married for four years, was admired for their peaceful and supportive relationship. Blessing’s death leaves her two children without a mother, and her family faces an uncertain path to justice. John expressed hopelessness about pursuing legal action, stating, “We don’t even know who to hold responsible. The whole thing is confusing.” The family plans to take her body to Okposi, Ebonyi State, for a decent burial, honoring her as a loving wife and mother.
As traders and activists prepare to petition the Ogun State government and police, the incident has reignited calls for reform. “If government doesn’t do something fast, more people will die,” one trader warned. For John and his family, the loss is profound. “She was just trying to earn a living. Is that now a crime?” he asked, grappling with the senseless loss of Blessing Eze.
Unanswered questions linger: Who is Blessing’s killer? Will she get justice? Will her death prompt change in Ifo Market’s extortion culture? As her family prepares to lay her to rest, they hope her tragic death will not be in vain.
