There was tension in Onitsha, commercial hub of Anambra State on
\nSaturday when police and other security agencies took over Modobe plaza
\nin Madueke Street, sacking the traders.<\/p>\n
The closure was sequel to the order of the government to shut down
\nstreet trading in the state.<\/p>\n
The commissioner for Trade Commerce and Wealth Creation, Dr Christian
\nMadubuko had on July 19 in the morning stormed the market with a
\ndetachment of security operatives and ordered the security agencies to
\nshut down the market Plaza.<\/p>\n
He told\u00a0 \u00a0traders numbering over 70 000 people to vacate the Madueke
\nPlaza, Onowu Anatogu, Afubera and other adjourning street immediately or
\nface demolition.<\/p>\n
He warned them that the state government has decided to shut down the
\nmarket, following government ban on street trading.<\/p>\n
He directed the security agents not to allow the traders to open their
\nshops for business in the area while advising them to relocate to a
\nprivate market built by some traders at Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government
\nArea of the state.<\/p>\n
The commissioner was accompanied by the Area commander Onitsha, Mr John
\nObuagbaka during the visit.<\/p>\n
The Chairman of Madueke Traders Association, Mr Bede Iwunze said most of
\nthe traders had no shop at the Ogbunike Market built by the Provision
\nand Cosmetics traders.<\/p>\n
He said that the Madueke plaza is a private plaza built by Modebe family
\nand they are tenants to Modebe family.<\/p>\n
He said that most of the traders cannot afford the money to buy shops at
\nthe Ogbunike Market.<\/p>\n
He passionately appealed to Gov. Willie Obiano to come to their aid so
\nas to give them a soft landing.<\/p>\n
“We have children and dependents and we have no other means of
\nlivelihood except our shops.<\/p>\n
Another trader, Mr Jude Anibueze told our reporter that some group of
\nimporters, at Afubera Street had also built shops for themselves at the
\nOgbunike Market and wanted to move them by force to their shops where
\nthey would pay exorbitant price.<\/p>\n
Chairman of Modebe Street Traders whose name was simply given as kpajie
\nModebe told them not to worry that they had gone to court with the state
\ngovernment over the same matter and got judgment in their favour.<\/p>\n
“The plaza belongs to Modebe family and not government”.<\/p>\n
He, however, told the traders who contributed money or own shops at the
\nOgbunike market to relocate to the market, if they so wish.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are\u00a0 not asking you not to go to the market if you want, but for the
\nplaza it is our own and nobody\u00a0 or group of persons can eject you from
\nhere, if you wish to stay,\u2019\u2019 he concludes.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the police at the area command had while leaving the market
\narrested some traders and whisked them away.<\/p>\n
The order and the arrest has also prompted stampede in the market as
\ntraders scamper to pack their goods to a more safer place, while
\nhoodlums cash on the opportunity to cart away goods worth millions of
\nnaira.<\/p>\n
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of Anambra state
\npolice command, SP Harunna Mohammed said he had yet to be briefed on the
\nclosure of the market.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There was tension in Onitsha, commercial hub of Anambra State on Saturday when police and other security agencies took over Modobe plaza in Madueke Street, sacking the traders. The closure…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n