Until Adamu Yusufu lost his valuables in the Lokoja International Market, he was one of the sworn customers of the market. While he went shopping in the market, an unidentified person opened the door of his car, which he parked in the market garage, and made away with some of his property. He said he reported the incident to the police command stationed in the market, but nothing has been done to recover the lost goods. Yusuf’s predicament is one of the stories traders and customers at the market encounter everyday. Though the police authority in the market said they are up to the task, many are still skeptical over their preparedness to provide effective security in the market. The Lokoja International Market which opened for business early this year was conceived by the state government to be a hub of business activity in the state. The government plan was to open up the state to the international community. But, few months in operation, the shop owners are groaning due to poor patronage while buyers are complaining of fragile security system in the market. Apart from shopping malls that adorned the city and distance, many buyers are yet to understand that the market now opens on a daily basis. The people are used to the five-day mode of operation. A shop owner who gave his name simply Alhaji Zubairu attributed the poor patronage to high cost of goods in the market compared to other markets in the state. Zubairu said the cost of renting a shop at Lokoja International Market is high, and as a result, the traders have no alternative than to increase the price of goods. Although, some traders are optimistic that the situation is a temporary set back, a substantial number of them still rely on their sales outlets at different locations in the town to break even. One of them, Mama Mary, a shop owner in the market, disclosed that she still retained her other shop at the Lokoja Old market. She added that traders at the old market and Kpata Market enjoy high measure of patronage than those at Lokoja International Market. “Owning a store at the new market, for many of us is to take care of future investment, not something for immediate result,” she said. Also, some customers preferred to make their purchases in the neighborhood markets, in the capital city, than go to the intenational market. A housewife, Fumi Adoga complained that “there are times in the new market that you will find it difficult to get what you are looking for.” She added that not all the stores in the market are fully stocked.” Investigations have shown that the people are still used to the former five-day market which has been in vogue in the state. Many buyers are yet to come to terms with the reality that the market now opens everyday. Mallama Hassana Aisoni, a shop owner at the International market regretted that the people’s mind is still set on the five-day market system even though shops at the new market open every day. Hassana who claimed to have closed her shop at the other places for her to get enough cash back up to acquire the present one in the new market said, “some times we open till late but we hardly make meaningful sales.” Equally affected by lull in business in the new market is banking activity. A banker operating in the market who preferred anonymity said the hope that things would change in the nearest future has been the driving force behind their staying put in the new market. He said people in the market are yet to imbibe the culture of banking. However, most traders are of the view that with the coming of the Lokoja port, as a result of the dredging of River Niger, the Lokoja International Market will be busy like those in lagos, Onitsha, Abuja and Jos.