In a plea to Governor Alex Otti, the Northern community residing in Umuchieze Cattle Market within Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State is seeking permission to continue residing within the market premises.
These traders, primarily involved in cattle business, voiced their appeal during a news briefing held at the market on Wednesday.
Their request comes in response to the government’s assertion that it had discovered a significant number of decomposed and headless bodies, along with numerous skeletons, within the market situated in Lokpanta, Umuchieze.
Governor Otti revealed this startling discovery during a press conference on Sunday. Expressing concern about the prevailing insecurity in the Umuennochi/Isuikweato area, he emphasized that the market had become a hotspot for criminals and kidnappers. Consequently, he directed the traders to integrate with the local communities and discontinue residing within the market.
In response to this directive, Buba Abdullahi, the community’s spokesperson, expressed their dissatisfaction with the government’s stance. Abdullahi vehemently denied the government’s allegations about the presence of decomposed corpses, skeletons, and criminal elements in the market. He also criticized the media for not thoroughly investigating these claims before reporting on them.
Abdullahi viewed the government’s accusations as a pretext to carry out a predetermined plan to evict them from the land they’ve occupied since 2005. He further alleged that part of this plan involved the recent demolition of houses within the market. Abdullahi estimated their population at 15,000 and stated that they occupied approximately 80 hectares of land donated to them by the previous Orji Kalu-led government.
He expressed concerns over the government’s actions, stating that if the market was fenced and their homes demolished, forcing them to relocate to neighboring villages, it would effectively mean they were being driven away from Abia.
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Mr. Abdullahi emphasized the peaceful and accommodating nature of northerners, citing the presence of many southerners in the North who conduct their businesses without harassment or threats of eviction.
He decried the injustice, unfairness, and ungodliness of preventing any Nigerian from residing in any part of the country they choose.
Addressing the misconception that the northern community harbors criminals, Mr. Abdullahi clarified that the demolished establishments, including brothels, rooms, beer parlors, nightclubs, and lodging accommodations, belonged to the local residents.
He pointed out the impracticality of relocating to communities in Umuchieze due to the prevailing high crime rate in the area, and mentioned that some of them had also been victims of crimes and criminal activities.
Mr. Abdullahi expressed their willingness to collaborate with the state government in seeking lasting solutions to the security challenges in the region.
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