…the protesting traders carried placards with the inscription, “Gov. Soludo rescue us from extortion
The iNews Times reports that over 2,000 traders of Onitsha Building Materials Traders’ Association/Allied Productive Dealers Association, Bridge head market, Anambra State, Wednesday protested alleged extortion by Navy, Special Anti-Touting Squad, SASA, Ocha Brigade, Police, and Udo Ga Achi Vigilante operatives including plot by eight market unions Nteje, to eject the traders from their market.
The protesting traders carried placards with the inscription, “Gov. Soludo rescue us from extortion by Navy, police, SASA, Ocha Brigade, Udo Ga Achi vigilante group, extortionists are in payroll of 8 Market Union Nteje, we are not part of 8 market Union Nteje, Nteje market Union wants to intimidate us.”
Others are “Gov. Soludo we hope on you to rescue us, Nteje market is personal market, we are part and parcel of Bridge head market, our market is not among those to move to Nteje,” among others.
Addressing newsmen during the protest, chairman of Onitsha Building Materials Traders’ Association, OBMTA, Chief Chikodili Ejiofor, lamented that the accused security operatives barricaded the entry and exit Uga road leading to their market despite the fact that they are not part of the Onitsha Ogbogwu (drug) market shut by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.
His words, “Today we resolve to have a peaceful protest against the extortion of our members by Navy, Police, SASA, Ocha Brigade, Udo Ga Achi and others.
They barricaded the Uga road that leads to our market and if you want to pass with your wares you will be forced to pay #250,000, #350,000, #200,000, it depends on how you bargain with them but not less than #200,000. Because they barricaded the road we lost our customers.
“They are doing all these to frustrate us because they are being sponsored by the 8 Market Union Nteje who want us to join them by force. As it is now the members of the 8 market Union have parked out to Nteje but still they want us to join them.
“We don’t have shops there, it is a personal market that they established at Nteje. We are on our own and Governor Soludo when he came around some time said we are not part of those that are said to relocate for free flow of traffic.
“Our plea is that Governor Soludo should come to our rescue by prevailing on the purported security operatives who have worsened our condition by the extortion.
“They are sponsored by the 8 Market Union Nteje. The 8 Market Union should leave us alone, the Bridgehead Market chairman and Onitsha South Local Government area chairman are all aware of our complaints and have maintained that we are not part of those relocating to Nteje that is a personal market,” he stated.
Speaking, chairman of Allied Products Dealers Association, Chief Christian Obulu, disclosed that they have been in the market for 52 years the market is in existence adding that the intimidation and extortion by the security operatives is much that the government should come to their rescue now that they blocked the only major road.
“Since 14 January we have been suffering this intimidation and extortion. We know that if governor Soludo comes to our rescue this problem will be over,” he stated.
In his own contribution, a chieftain of the market, Chukwuchebem Muorah, said, “Since 14th January this year till today we have been suffering in the hands of the Navy, police, SASA, Ocha Brigade, Udo Ga Achi, among others and we want governor Soludo to help us.
“December is approaching and government wants us to pay our storage levies. From where will we get the money with this intimidation and extortion by these security operatives
“Governor Soludo please stop these security men from blocking us in our business. What they, extortionists want from us is much. We have not gotten our freedom for months now because 8 Market Union Nteje bribed the security men to force us out of our market to Nteje market. Our wares are different from theirs and they have packed out, why are they disturbing us,” he lamented
