Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Traders at the popular Onitsha Drug Mart, yesterday, locked up their shops and embarked on peaceful protest over incessant police harassment.
The traders, under the aegis of Ogbo Ogwu International Market, Bridge Head Market, Onitsha bore placards with various inscription lamenting that their businesses were on the verge of total collapse unless government and the relevant agencies comes to their aid.
Speaking to reporters after the protest, Chairman, Caretaker Committee in-charge of the market, Anthony Ezioba said the traders have been in good standing with Anambra State Government, NAFDAC, Federal Ministry of Health, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and other relevant bodies but lamented that the activities of some policemen towards them have left sour taste in their mouths.
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer of the market, Uche Mary-Chaplet Igboamaeze, noted that actions of a policeman towards the traders were carried out through intimidation and without due process of the law.
In his reaction, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Fegge Division, a CSP Rabiu Garba, expressed surprise that no report had been brought to him by the traders against the policeman before they embarked on the protest.