Abia Govt Debunks Reports Ordering Northern Traders In Lokpanta Market To Leave

Abia State government has ex­plained that it has at no time or­dered Northern cattle dealers in Lokpanta Market in Umunneo­chi LGA of the state to relocate to the North, but that it made a policy that henceforth the cattle market will be a daily one and non residential.

The Special Adviser to the Abia State governor, retired Com­mander Macdonald Uba who was reacting to some reports in the social media said the Lokpanta Cattle Market located along the Umunneochi axis of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway has be­come a haven for kidnappers and armed robbers.

Various reports in the social media stated that some traders in the market at the weekend ap­pealed to President Bola Tinubu to compel the Abia State govern­ment not to relocate them from Lokpanta market to the North, adding that the government of Governor Alex Otti had asked them to leave the market within two weeks.

But Uba while addressing journalists at the Government House, Umuahia on Monday dis­closed that various investigations made by the state government showed that there are many in­filtrators in the markets, pointing out that criminal elements have turned it into a kidnapping den.

Uba said, “three weeks ago we carried out some deliberate, measured actions on the market following persistent reports of kidnapping at Uturu-Umunneo­chi axis and discovered shan­ty brothels that have over 160 rooms. They were identified and destroyed and millions of naira suspected to be proceeds from kidnapping were recovered.

“The criminal elements there converted the median of the Ex­pressway to a parking lot and in that process created artificial hold ups and used the opportuni­ty to inform their gang members upfront of the approach of their victims.

“Arrests were made while investigations are ongoing. We have penciled the market to be a daily market just like any other market in the state. You cannot attract development in a place where kidnapping, armed rob­bery and other forms of insecu­rity thrive.

“The cattle market has trans­formed from a harmless buying and selling of cattle into a den of rogues, criminals and kidnap­pers. Initially the market was located at the Garki area, the present-day ShopRite site, from there to Ubakala Area, and then to Okigwe in Imo State.”

Source: Independent.ng