Fears of reprisal attacks have gripped the popular Marian Market in Calabar and its environs following the tragic death of a young Hausa boy, allegedly at the hands of some overzealous rate- collecting agents. The incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the safety of traders and visitors to the bustling marketplace.

The alleged killing took place on Wednesday afternoon when the rate collectors accosted the boy and his friends, who were returning from excavating rusted irons that were inside their wheelbarrow. The agents reportedly demanded that the boys pay a N100 fee, a common practice for hawkers passing through the market. However, the boys insisted they were not hawking and merely passing through, refusing to pay the fee.

Eyewitness accounts from market women paint a disturbing picture of what transpired next. " A fight ensued between the agents and the Hausa boys in the market. One of the agents brutally hit the Hausa boy and he died instantly. There was pandemonium all over the market as a result. The agents took to their heels, " recounted Mrs Angelina Effiong, a trader who sells second- hand clothes.

The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with the deceased boy' s kinsmen taking matters into their own hands. On Thursday, large numbers of armed Hausa men invaded the Marian market, seeking retribution against the rate collectors. Sensing the potential for chaos and reprisal attacks, many market women and bus drivers fled the area, abandoning their stalls and vehicles.