…the community leadership issued a two-week quit notice to all scrap dealers operating within Ebem Ohafia.
ABIA, NIGERIA – The iNews Times | In a decisive move to protect lives and prevent what they described as “death and unimaginable calamity,” the Ebem Ohafia community in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State has announced a total ban on the sale of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, within the Ebem Market.
The decision was contained in a communique issued by the Ebem Ujurueze Palace, Ekeleugo Ebem, following an emergency meeting of the Council of Chiefs and Elders. The meeting, attended by traditional and community leaders, was convened to address rising safety and security concerns in the ancient kingdom.
The communique, signed by the paramount ruler of Ebem Ohafia Ancient Kingdom, Ezie Ukoha Kalu Ukoha, alongside Emeka Mba, President General of the Ebem Ohafia Development Union (EODU), Idika Kalu Uche, and Ifeanyi Okali, among others, stated that the ban on cooking gas sales in the market is absolute and takes immediate effect.
Beyond the gas ban, the Ebem Ohafia leaders condemned in strong terms every form of cultism, gangsterism, and drug abuse within the community. They stressed that such acts are prohibited with immediate effect and warned that offenders would face strict disciplinary actions.
Parents and guardians were urged to warn and guide their wards against engaging in these unlawful activities. Landlords whose properties are being used for cult meetings, drug peddling, or other banned practices were directed to evict such tenants immediately or risk sanctions from the community authorities.
The communique also carried a stern security warning:
“Anyone found in unlawful possession of arms will be handed over to law enforcement agencies,” the Chiefs and Elders ruled.
In addition, the community leadership issued a two-week quit notice to all scrap dealers operating within Ebem Ohafia. Failure to comply, they warned, would result in “stringent disciplinary measures.”
The leaders explained that this decision was prompted by increasing reports of vandalism and break-ins targeting homes, shops, and public property in the area. Security intelligence, they said, linked these incidents to the activities of certain scrap dealers and their suppliers, making decisive action necessary to curb the trend.
According to the traditional council, these new measures, spanning safety regulations, crime prevention, and community discipline, are designed to restore peace, safeguard lives, and protect the cultural integrity of the Ebem Ohafia Ancient Kingdom.
