From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Traders of the Ugwuoba Cattle Market in Enugu State and natives of the town have cried out to the state government over the activities of criminals and illicit drug dealers in the market and its environs.
Likewise, natives of Ugwuoba have blamed the upsurge in shanties and lodges that house criminals, prostitutes, and dealers in illicit drugs like Indian hemp and methamphetamine (Mkpuru mmiri) on indiscriminate allocation/sale of lands to strangers by some indigenous of the area.
The traders and natives made the call when Daily Sun visited the market and its environs to investigate reports that the area might be a hibernating ground for criminals, who operate in Enugu and Anambra States.
Speaking to Daily Sun, the Chairman of Ugwuoba Cattle Market, Abubakar Sadiq, identified illicit drugs and prostitution as major issues in the area.
“Actually, in the last two months, we have had issues of people fighting and stabbing each other to death under the influence of drugs. Most of these people are taking ‘Mkpurummuri’. After taking that substance, they ended up fighting. Unfortunately one of them died.
“On 20th November, Umar Garba Yakubu, under the influence of drugs, stabbed Safiu Mohammed from Taraba State to death. Safiu’s people wanted to retaliate, but with the intervention of the executives and the police, we arrested the situation and Umar was arrested and handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police. He is in jail now.
“Another one happened on 4th December when one Yusuf Adamu from Gombe State was stabbed by a person that I don’t know his name. But with the help of security, we arrested him and handed him over to the security operatives. That one was also under the influence of drugs too.
“The major problem causing insecurity here is drugs. They transact in and take drugs here. So that is the cause of insecurity in this place.
“Aside from that, we have some areas that accommodate criminals. This is at the extensions of the market. The market is too large. There are places where they sell alcohol and prostitutes are there too. These attract criminals. I could remember the last time there were people who kidnapped someone in Anambra State, but they came and hid here. Those places are under Gariki, but we (the executive) don’t have control over them because the land was given to them by the indigenes.
“Each time we complain to them, they tell us that it is their land and that we cannot tell them what to do with their land. But in the eye of the government, everywhere here is Gariki,” he narrated.
Vice Chairman of Ugwuoba Cattle Market and an indigene of the town, Shedrach Ezeani, also collaborated on the issues raised by Sadiq.
“I represent the Amachala family, owners of this place, in the Gariki executives. We are here working together with the executives and the market authorities.
“The issues we have in terms of security is that there are too many hoodlums around this Gariki. Our chairman tried many times, through the local government, to at least reduce them. But people from outside Ugwuoba come in and reside by the side of this market. That is the problem we are facing here.
“From 2004 we used to collect rent around Gariki suburb, not the main Gariki. We didn’t have problems then. But some years later, some boys said they don’t want family owners of the land to collect the rent and they said let every individual manage his own portion of land. So, many started giving portions of land to unknown persons. From then, hoodlums gathered around there.
“Government should come in because the Gariki Market does not have the capacity to do this. If you ask anybody, he will tell you that this is my father’s portion of land. Those shanties and unregulated lodges are not doing good for this place.
“People hide there in the name of Gariki and do all sorts of things. They invite lodgers from unknown destinations. Criminals will join them to lodge. That is the problem we are having. The government has to take action and control them,” he said.
Meanwhile, an indigene of the town, who does not want her name in print proffered a solution: “I think this present government that is serious with security should just demolish the shanties and the market, build modern stores, and then convert the place to a daily modern market.”