•Hoodlums flushed out of Abia forest flood neighbouring states
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Security forces in Abia and Enugu states have made life unbearable for criminals. Even at that, it was reliably gathered that hoodlums smoked out of their dens in Lokpanta forest in Umunneochi Local Government, Abia State, are sneaking into neighbouring states, especially, Enugu.
Governor Alex Otti, on October 29, 2023, disclosed that about 70 bodies, some of them headless and decomposed, were discovered in the Lokpanta forest near the cattle market: “We have taken a stand to provide adequate security to Abia citizens and visitors because no government can succeed in the face of insecurity. This government will not get involved in supporting criminals or allow them to occupy any part of the state.
“When we decided to occupy the Lokpanta cattle market in Umunneochi LG, we discovered 50 dead bodies, 20 headless dead bodies, men, women and children and uncountable skeletons. We also discovered that ransoms paid to kidnappers were usually dropped close to the market.
“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, but after our interactions with leaders of the northern community, we told them that anyone who is not in support of the moves we are making to secure the state must be a criminal, they saw reasons with us and quickly reversed the quit notice they issued to Igbo in the North.
“That’s why we have decided to make the market a daily market, people can go to the market and do their business and go home at the end of the day. The market will not be only a cattle market again, but it will have other sections for other goods like every other market.
“Those who live inside the market will now live among other people in the state outside the market.”
Daily Sun reliably gathered that fleeing criminals saw Enugu as a safe haven and were infiltrating settlements in the Coal City including the Garriki market. This spurred the Enugu State Government ban people from living or sleeping over night at any markets in the state in November last year.
The government also said that it was determined to forestall the infiltration of the New Artisan Cattle Market by miscreants flushed out by the Abia State Government from the Lokpanta Cattle Market in Umunneochi LGA of the state.
Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Chief Uche Anya, stated this at a meeting with the leadership of New Artisan Cattle Market in Enugu
Just like Abia, the Enugu State Government explained that it was not against genuine business people but would not allow anybody to reside in the markets in the name of doing business: “We in the Capital Territory called this meeting, because if you look at what happened at Lokpanta Cattle Market in Abia State, some of the people flushed out there are coming to the New Artisan Market in Enugu. So, our Governor has said that we are going to make the place a normal market. We are going to monitor it, put security in place to protect you.
“We are not pushing you, but we would give you security; we don’t want anybody to sleep in the New Artisan Market again. We don’t want anybody that is not part of the market as a cattle seller or your customer to enter there after close of business.
“There is no market in Enugu State where we would like people to sleep in especially in Enugu municipality. The cattle dealership is a business. Every market in Enugu even in Saudi Arabia and the rest, have opening and closing time. So, in Enugu, because of the criminal activities going on, we would not allow that.
“We will demolish the shanties behind the New Artisan Market. And we don’t want street trading around the market. If we get anybody, we will confiscate their goods and donate them to destitute homes. We will also prosecute anyone caught.”
Meanwhile, Otti has said that the state will not surrender an inch of its territory to criminals.
The governor who spoke during the launch of the Abia State Joint Security Taskforce (Operation Crush), August last year, had ordered security agencies to ensure that all criminals, especially kidnappers making life hellish for the people of Umunneochi and other parts of the state were brought to justice and that their criminal infrastructure and architecture would be destroyed.
Following the massive onslaught carried out by men of Operation Crush against kidnappers and other criminals at Lokponta, those who managed to survive the firepower of security forces, fled the area, leaving behind traces of atrocity.
A tunnel that served as the most effective but hidden channel through which the criminals dropped off their victims after collecting ransom, was recently exposed.
The tunnel became visible after earth-moving equipment deployed by the government clear the place after the formidable criminal cartel succumbed to the superior firepower of the government-backed Operation Crush.
Exciting testimonies have continued to reverberate from the people of the area, especially those who returned home for Christmas, an indication that they celebrated the yuletide in peace.
While the people of Umunneochi are happy that their Governor stood up for them when they needed him most, the hoodlums who held them by the jugular have since understood the unforgettable message from Otti that the era of lips service is over, and Abia cannot serve as safe haven for criminals.
A native of Lokpanta, who did not want his name in print, said that they were in fear for two years until the governor took a bold step to address the situation: “We lived in fear, afraid to enter our farms. What the governor said about 70 dead bodies may not be far from the truth. We are gradually regaining our voice since the coming of this government.”
Also, Ndu Felimon, from Lokpaukwu, said that people were regularly robbed or kidnapped along the federal highway, especially those travelling at night. He pleaded with Otti to sustain his administration’s war against criminality in the LGA by implementing his plans to make the market a daily one.
But a Northern trader, Alhaji Salihu, said that genuine cattle dealers would never condone or harbour criminals in the market. He noted that their members were always ready to assist the state government in flushing out criminals around the market area.