Northern cattle traders react to Gov Otti’s modernization plans for the Umuchieze cattle market

From Peter Okore, Umuahia

The Northern Community of Umuchieze Cattle market, Umunneochi LGA of Abia State has passionately reacted to the recent plans by the Dr. Alex Otti-led administration of Abia state to modernize and secure the cattle market ; saying, “ fence the market alone, not the entire landspace, but allow us to live in the cattle market.”

They would in addition want government to hold further dialogue with the cattle traders on the proposal, while asking the government to provide security, social amenities and Banking facilities there.

They, however, expressed their willingness to be loyal, obedient and peaceful as well as pay their statutory taxes and rites to governments and host communities.

The Northern cattle traders who made their feelings known through their spokesman, Malam Buba Abdulahi, in a document signed by their Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Algare and 15 other leaders of different segments of the market and made available to journalists in Umuahia, promised to make their own contributions towards helping governments to stem–down the rates of criminalities, kidnappings for ransoms, armed robberies and rapes in the axis .

The Umuneochi cattle market is located along Lokpanta axis of the Enugu- Port Harcourt Express-Way in Abia state. According to the cattle traders, the land was allocated to the Northern community in Umuneochi for the purpose of cattle trading and other allied business transactions, residential quarters and a motor park.

It will be recalled that Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti revealed during his monthly media chat tagged: “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians”, held in Government House, Umuahia, that within a few hours raid of the cattle market and surrounding bushes by the security operatives, over 50 decomposing dead bodies, over 20 headless bodies and countless human skeletons were discovered all around Lokpanta Cattle Market in Umunneochi LGA of the State.

This compelled the governor to decide making the cattle market a Daily market by fencing and providing security there, so that all manner of traders can trade there from 6am and close by 6pm daily. He said the market will no-more serve as residential for the traders.

His words: ”government is committed to tackling the issues of insecurity headlong without minding whose ox is gored. Prostitution, narcotics trade and other criminal vices around the Lokpanta Cattle Market necessitated the raid of the market, which led to some brothels being brought down and there is now calmness in Umunneochi. The Lokpanta market would become a daily market that would open at 6am and closes at 6pm would now become a general market as sections are allotted to the cattle dealers and other businesses too.

The Lokpanta area was notorious for kidnapping and armed robbery, hence the decision of his administration to make the market a daily one.

“We are single minded about rooting out insecurity in Abia State. Because we know that no government can succeed in the face of insecurity, violence, armed and kidnapping,” said he.

But in their statement, the Northern community in Umuachieze cattle market claimed that the decomposing bodies , headless bodies and the countless number of skeletons were neither found in the cattle market nor around the market.

According to their statement: “We are victims of these crimes and criminalities and not accomplice”.