Owerri Boils As Okorocha Demolishes Market

By Baron Ike

Owerri, the capital of Imo State was on fire on Saturday, August 26 morning as Governor Rochas Okorocha ordered the demolition of popular Ekeukwu Market on ever busy Douglas Road.

The government has been planning to relocate the traders and rebuild the market but the traders have opposed the move fearing insincerity on the part of government.

Matters were not helped by the Owerri community, perceived owners of the market who believe some gods must be appeased before the market must be moved.

There are fears Okorocha wants to use state power to outsmart the original owners of the market and concensionaire it to his business partners.

Okorocha is believed to be in the habit of appropriating choice property within the state metropolis.

Owerri youths and traders are protesting around the capital chanting war songs and calling Okorocha unprintable names. ” He is a thief. He is a rougue. He is a wicked man,” one trader who gave his name as Adanma told Armadanews.com.

An underaged boy who had gone to help the parents evacuate their ware from the market was allegedly killed by trigger- happy government security operatives alongside two other persons.

It is claimed that five persons have lost their lives so far to the demolition.

An official of the government who spoke to Armadanews.com unofficial said the dead were about three and several others wounded.

He described the incident as unfortunate.

The sight of the liveless body of the boy in his early tens sparked protests and led to the traders and the youths protesting.

To forestall break own of law and order, the police in Imo have taken positions at certain places as the bulldozers pull down structures within the market.

Recetly too, Okorocha sent bulldozers to demolish the houses of retirees residing at Shell Camp area of Owerri. Most of the aged men and women cursed him to high heavens.

On the Owerri market demolition the traders are afraid the market would not be completed in record time as Okorocha is not known for completing projects in the state. To them, it is simply a way of buying time ahead of 2019 election.

At press time there was no response from either the Okorocha government or the police over the killings.

Unrepentant Okorocha took the usual road of lies saying the market was demolished for harbouring kidnappers since the past five years.

Analysts say Okorocha should be ashamed that he was presiding over an environment where he knew kidnappers were hiding in the market but he kept quiet all these years.

” He has murdered sleep and he will never know one with the nlood of these people he sent his private security to kill today, particularly that small boy,” one Donatus said.