By Baron Ike
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has been given 72 hours from Saturday to demolish a popular market where Hausa traders stay within Owerri the way he did Ekeukwu Market or face the wrath of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) .
Okorocha on Saturday, August 26 caused the demolition of popular Ekeukwu Market on ever busy Douglas Road Owerri which led to the death of three persons with so many others wounded.
Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu was said to have sent words across to Okorocha to do the same thing he did at Ekeukwu Market to Amawusa effective Monday, August 28 or be ready for masses action.
But Okorocha was said to have dared the IPOB insisting he will do no such thing.
Okorocha had claimed Ekeukwu Market is a den of kidnappers and that he served the traders notice in the past five years which they ignored.
However, feelers emerged on Sunday, August 27 that there was a court order directing that status quo should remain
Leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu
pending the determination of the case before a competent court in Owerri.
Okorocha reportedly disobeyed the court order to embark on the demolition that turned fatal.
On arrival at the scene of demolition Okorocha rather than feel remorse over the lives lost to the demolition was busy ackowledging cheers from party men and hired crowds.
He also used his relationship with some Television stations to ensure they blanked out the aspect of casualties during the demolition while airing the report.
For example, Channels Televion which aired the report for about three times on Saturday concentrated more on Okorocha acknowledging cheers than the persons who were killed.
A boy in his late tens who gad gone to help her mother evacuate her wares from their shop was killed in the process with reports saying two other persons were also killed.
The state government has remained silent on the alleged casualty figure but Police Commissioner for Imo State, Chris Ezike said he was not aware anybody was killed.
Owerri has remained charged and there are indications Imo state will boil over from tomorrow if IPOB carries out its threat.
Residents of Owerri are apprehensive now as Okorocha was said to have alerted security agents in the state. The residents are afraid a clash is imminent between IPOB and security operatives.