Economic and business activities of the commercial city of Aba, Abia State, were shutdown as butchers at Popular Waterside, along Aba-Ikot Ekpene road clashed with soldiers for allegedly killing two of their members.
The incident which occurred between the hours of 12pm or thereabouts caused pandemonium within the area and Ogbor Hill axis causing many business owners to close for businesses as they feared that the situation could take another dimension and fear of massive arrest by the security agencies.
It was gathered that some butchers that sustained injuries as a result of the gunshots and sporadic shootings were taken to different hospitals within the metropolis where they are receiving medical attention as at the time of filing this report.
Efforts to reach the leaders of the market proved abortive, but sources around the area told our reporter that some of the leaders of the butchers association were at the Aba Area Command of Nigeria Police Force where the body of one of the dead members was taken to after police took the corpse from some of the protesters had wanted to demonstrate round the city with the body.
Information has it that the situation which started taking ethnic and religious coloration forced many Hausas to flee for safety at the nearest police division, while security agencies moved into areas domiciled by the Hausas with their Hilux vans and moved them to the Aba Area Command where they were said to be taking refuge in the event of any reprisal attack.
The state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, commiserated with traders in the market and assured that the solider who pulled the trigger has been arrested and taken into custody.
Governor Ikpeazu called on the people of Abia, especially those of in Aba, to remain claim, reassuring all citizens of the state that the government is doing everything to protect lives and property of citizens from any attack.
“I have instructed and equipped security agencies in the state to ensure watertight security around our boarders and towns against any form of attack.
“I have directed that the men of the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS), popularly known as Bakassi, to commence, with immediate effect, a two week intensive training, for onward deployment to our communities to assist in community policing under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police.
The governor said that he had directed all Traditional Rulers in the state to submit names of 10 youths from their community to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from Tuesday 10th to Wednesday 11th May 2016for them to be enlisted into the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS).
“I have mandated the law enforcement agencies to search and screen all trucks and vehicles conveying livestocks, food items and persons into the state from any part of the country. The law enforcement agencies will also search and screen markets and settlements where livestocks and dealers are, to ensure security.”
The governor also announced that the government has constituted a Farmers/Herdsmen Conflict Resolution Committee, headed by the Commissioner of Police and have other members as the Brigade Commander, State Director of DSS, State Commandant of the NSCDC, the Naval Commander, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Myati Allah and Saraki Hausa.
The also said that similar committee has being constituted in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state to be headed by the council chairmen and also include Divisional Police Officers in the LGAs, Local Government NSCDC heads, the DSS Local Government Chiefs, LGA Chairmen of Traditional Rulers Council and LGA Heads of Hausa communities.
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