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From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Traders, Artisans and Customers at the popular Eke-Imoha market in Ezza South Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, have raised the alarm over incessant harassment, intimidation and extortion by some elements in the market.
They cried out to the state government and other relevant authorities to save them in the hands of the elements who they described as cultists, touts and jobless youths.
One of them, Mrs. Angela Nweke, alleged that the elements are about eight groups with each of them forcefully extorting between the sum of five hundred(N500) to two thousand naira(N2,000) and above from each trader on every Eke market day using harassment and violence which they described as unbearable.
She revealed that a particular group of the elements usually operates on every Eke market day that coincides on Sundays and usually armed themselves with dangerous lethal weapons to intimidate the traders, artisans and customers and enforce compliance
She expressed sadness that the activities of the elements have not only made traders and artisans lose millions of naira in their businesses, but also scared their customers from various states of the federation including Lagos, Aba Ngwa, Port -Harcourt, Enugu, Abuja and Cross River among others.
Another trader, Mrs. Nnenna Uwa, while corroborating Mrs. Nweke said she shed tears one fateful day when a particular group extorted a sum of one thousand five hundred naira(N1,500 from a vulnerable aged woman of about 60 years after selling her cassava stem for the sum two thousand naira(N2,000) leaving the old woman with pantry sum of five hundred naira(N500) only to feed her family which moved her and other public spirited individuals to contribute money and gave the old woman.
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Some wheelbarrow pushers and transporters were not left out as each of them also narrated their harrowing experiences in the hands of the groups
Reacting to the situation, the National President Ezza Amalgamated Trader’s Association, Onu-Eke, Chief Lewis Nwakpa said the situation has overwhelmed him and is getting out of hand.
He disclosed that he has written several letters to the Council Chairmen of both the Ezza South and Ezza North Local Government areas over the activities of the groups.
He threatened that if the situation persist, the traders would have no option than to embark on protests and appealed to the state government to urgently intervene into the matter.
