Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, disclosed during his monthly media chat in Umuahia that a harrowing discovery was made by security operatives in the vicinity of the Lokpanta Cattle Market along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. A gruesome scene emerged as a result of a raid in the forest surrounding the market, where 50 decomposing corpses, including 20 headless ones, along with countless skeletons were uncovered.
Governor Otti further revealed that the cattle market was being exploited by kidnappers as a ransom-collection point, further exacerbating the horrifying discovery. He expressed his administration's unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of both residents and visitors to the state, vowing that no part of the state would be left to criminals.
The governor clarified that the decision to make the Lokpanta Cattle Market a daily market was not targeted at any specific tribe but was aimed at enhancing the security infrastructure of the market and its host community. He emphasized the state's commitment to providing adequate security to its citizens and visitors, underlining that security is paramount for any government's success.
Governor Otti said, "When we decided to occupy the Lokpanta Cattle Market, we discovered 50 dead bodies, 20 of them headless, including men, women, and children, in addition to numerous skeletons. We also discovered that ransoms paid to kidnappers were usually dropped close to the market."
He continued, "But it was unfortunate that some people misinterpreted our action to mean that we asked the northerners trading in the market to leave the state. After our interactions with leaders of the northern community, we told them that anyone not in support of the measures we were taking to secure the state must be a criminal."
The governor's revelation prompted a quick reversal of the quit notice issued to Igbo residents in the North by the northern community. In a bid to transform the Lokpanta Cattle Market, Governor Otti declared that it would no longer be solely a cattle market, as it would have other sections for various goods, resembling other markets. He emphasized that people residing within the market would now live among other citizens outside the market.
In response to the situation, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, called upon the northern leadership within the cattle market to collaborate with Governor Otti to identify and eliminate the criminal elements that tarnish the image of the genuine traders among them.
Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, dismissed the notion that Governor Otti had displaced northerners from the Umunneochi Cattle Market, recognizing the long-standing trade relationship between the North and the Igbo. He urged everyone to take advantage of Governor Otti's security initiatives for the collective interest of all parties involved. The shocking discovery near the Abia cattle market raises serious concerns about security and criminal activities in the region, prompting calls for cooperation and action to address these issues.
