Abia livestock sellers challenge the government over the intended demolition of market shelters
The state government of Abia State has been sued by cattle merchants at the Laokpanta Garki Cattle Market in Umuchieze, Umunneochi Local Government Area, for deciding to turn the market into a daily market and demolishing residential shelters within the market.
Abia livestock sellers challenge the government over the intended demolition of market shelters
Following the announcement in October of last year that security personnel had found seventy decomposing bodies and skeletons in woodlands close to the market, the state administration took action to turn the market into a daily market.
According to the government, the finding suggested that kidnappers had turned the cattle market into their operating base for carrying out illegal activities, such as demanding ransom from abducted victims.
However, the livestock merchants challenged the government to show the 70 carcasses allegedly found at the market, insisting there was no criminal activity going on.
While the government continues to move forward with its proposal to restructure the market and turn it into a non-residential space, the traders argued that they had a right to live inside of it.
The Abia administration chose to end the practice, citing security concerns, despite their insistence on maintaining their custom of living inside the cattle market.
The state Commissioner of Lands, Chaka Chukwumerije, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna, the Chairman of the Umunneochi Local Government Area, Ndubuisi Ike, and the state Commissioner of Police are named as defendants in the lawsuit filed to contest the government’s decision.
The application for an interlocutory injunction submitted by the petitioners to prevent the government from carrying out its intention to demolish residential houses in the market will be considered in the lawsuit, which is scheduled to start on March 13, 2024.
