In Owerri, a Devt Exercise Goes Bad
A recent demolition exercise in Eke Ukwu Market, Owerri, by the Imo State Government went out of control and has since pitted the people against the government, writes Amby Uneze
When Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, first mooted the idea of relocating the ancestral Eke Ukwu Market, Owerri, the state capital, a majority of the people considered it a joke taken too far. However, as the governor intensified effort to take down the market, which is described as the biggest in the state due to the volume of traders and businesses that go on there, it was then it dawned on the people that Okorocha meant business. Ironically, it was not only the traders, the indigenes and the owners of the market that were bothered about the possible relocation; the entire people of the state were vehemently against its relocation. Instead, they suggested to the government to fence the market area and continue with the urban renewal programme, which the government said it was aimed to achieve. Although it was not their call to dictate to government how to navigate an urban renewal project, government should have done a lot more of consultations before moving in, other reckoned.
Understanding the Concerns of the Natives
The natives of Owerri Municipal Council, who are the owners of the Eke Ukwu Market, felt that if the ancestral market, which had remained at the centre of the capital city, where they also live is relocated, it then means that their ancestral home would also be affected, thereby making their village and ancestral home history.
To this end, the five villages that make up the municipality had informed the government on a number of occasions through various means of their unwillingness to accept the relocation exercise but their appeal seemed to have fallen on the deaf ears of the Okorocha government.
Another major point they raised was that the place, where the market was to be relocated was far from the old one and also in another local government council, Egbeada, which is in Mbaitoli local government. Not only that, other concerns as enunciated by a majority of the traders included that the new place was not even ready for relocation, therefore they should have been given more time before the demolition.
Battle Shifts to the Court
Bearing in mind that government would eventually move to demolish the market without notice, the indigenes, under the aegis of Owerri Community Assembly (OCA) had approached the Owerri High Court before Justice Okpara, who gave an injunction restraining the Imo State Government or any of her privies from carrying out any demolition or relocation of the Eke Ukwu Market until the determination of the substantive case. While the injunction is still subsisting, the government, on Saturday, August 26, moved in and demolished the said market to the chagrin of both the Owerri indigenes and the observing public.
…And Confusion Sets In
The drafting in of security agencies not only changed the tide completely, it set in unprecedented confusion. According to eye-witnesses, while the people of Owerri and government official engaged in discussions as a result of the 24-hour quit order to the traders to vacate the market or risk their wares being destroyed by government, and as soon as the indigenes left the market square with the belief that they have had a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ then, bulldozers accompanied by stern-looking security personnel moved in.
“As early as 6.30am, over two hundred combined armed security agents including the Army, Nigerian Air force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the Imo State Security Network and the Imo Community Watch had already cordoned off the Douglas Road, where the market is located, just as Mbaise Road, Emmanuel College junction and Fire Service Roundabout leading to Egbu/Mbaise Road were equally manned by armed security agents.
With braggadocio, government forceful entered Douglas road to carry out the relocation plan, unknown to both traders and indigenes. At the same time, confusion set in and the city erupted in fierce battle, which led to the death of a 10-year old Somtochukwu Ibeanusi, while over eight others were seriously injured from the shooting that ensued by security personnel.
Among those injured was a youth leader in Owerri municipal, Mr. Leonard Ebubeagu, and seven others, who sustained bullet wounds. It was also learnt that the security agents had shot sporadically into the air, supported by the Ohaji/Egbema youths, who bore cudgels in the bid to prevent the traders from retrieving their wares.
That action would later lead to a clash between the Owerri Youths and the Ohaji/Egbema youths with the security agents providing the latter with covering fire. It was in the process that little Somtochukwu, who was going to retrieve his mother’s wares was caught in the cross-fire and shot dead allegedly by one of the soldiers, while eight others sustained bullet wounds including Ebubeagu, who was shot on one of his legs.
National Vice Chairman (South-east) of the United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Ejike Uche, reminded government that while they were denying the incident of any death in the process, “Soldiers are trained to kill. When you deploy them in a market place with Armoured Personnel Carrier and all combat gears, you have given them a licence to kill and you know what to expect”.
A Defence That Changed Nothing
In the midst of the pandemonium, the state government continued to defend its action, stating that it took the action to recover Douglas Road that connects the state to other neighbouring states and which had remained a refuse dump for the traders in the market, and therefore, resolved to deal once and for all, with the prevalent criminal activities in the area.
In a release by the chief press secretary to the governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, he observed that “It has come to our knowledge, the deliberate and concerted effort being made by some elements that do not love progress to use the relocation of the Ekeukwu Owerri Market, to blackmail the government of the day and perhaps cause undue tension in the state.
“These people who have refused or failed to appreciate the good of relocating Ekeukwu Market, Owerri to a more acceptable area have been dishing out rumours upon rumours including rumours of people being shot dead. These are wicked rumours.
“The truth is that the market is government’s property and it is the decision of the government to relocate it to a better place and such action could not have led to such incident. The security personnel around the market were there to ensure peace and they played that role professionally.
“We are also aware that before now, the hoodlums who have been using the market and environs as areas of their operations have been threatening fire and brimstone over the government’s decision to move the market. These hoodlums had also embarked on looting, which led to their being confronted by some of the traders and it took the timely intervention of the Security Personnel to restore order in that part of the market.
“Unfortunately, those who hate progress have gone out with certain disturbing claims and have also posted some photographs that have nothing to do with the Owerri issue on the social media just to see if they could discredit the government and the patriotic action taken in the overall interest of the state”, he stated.
Eyewitnesses’ Account
Ugo Mere, one of the youth leaders from Umuonyeche Owerri, gave his account of the incident.
“By 6.30am today, we discovered that the police and other security agents, who are armed had blocked all the access road leading to Douglas and also noticed that the bulldozers – about four of them have arrived and before we knew what was happening the boys from Ohaji/Egbema had started smashing open the lock up shops at the market including those at Rotibi Street, across Douglas road.
“But the youths had to repel them and after a while, they reinforced and came back in larger numbers, this time accompanied by the armed security agents. And this resulted in the killing of one Somtochukwu, who was shot dead instantly. Also, seven other persons sustained gunshot wounds including our former youth president, Leonard, who was shot on one of