Over 50 decomposed bodies, 20 headless bodies, and countless human skeletons were recently discovered around Lokpanta Cattle Market in Umunneochi local government area in Abia State.
The governor, Dr. Alex Otti, stated this late last night during a monthly media chat for October tagged “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians”, at Government House, Umuahia, the capital.
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He said security agencies made the discoveries during search operations both within and around the market following incessant reports of security breaches across the area.
His words, “Kidnapping, armed robbery, prostitution, narcotics trade, and other social vices around the market necessitated the raid as some brothels were recently brought down.”
He said that as part of moves to change the narrative, his administration had resolved to transform the market into a daily general one with different sections, including livestock.
Otti announced that henceforth, the market would operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. as “we have begun fencing it all in our efforts to ensure adequate security both within and outside”.
According to him, even with the presence of security agencies, security gadgets would be deployed at strategic locations in the market and beyond in furtherance of the moves.
He said though the decision was initially misunderstood by the leadership of the market, who are mostly northerners, they later accepted it after a meeting with the administration on the situation.
“We are single-minded about rooting out insecurity in the state. Because we know that no administration can succeed in the face of insecurity, violence, armed robbery, and kidnapping,” he added.
Expressing appreciation for the improvement in security in the area since the raid, he assured that the achievement would be sustained without minding whose ox is gored.
Responding to reactions that have trailed the report, the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Kazie Ukoh, said the discoveries were made by “Operation Crush”.
According to him, the state’s newly inaugurated joint security outfit with federal security agencies in the state reported the discoveries to the governor after the raid.
In the same vein, one of the leaders of the market, Mallam Buba Abdullahi, said he wasn’t aware of the discoveries, adding that they were preparing to react to the report.
However, as of press time, efforts to obtain the police’s reaction from the state’s police command public relations officer, Maureen Chilaka, proved abortive.
But a senior security officer, who pleaded anonymity, said the governor spoke as the chief security officer of the state and couldn’t have mentioned the discoveries if he wasn’t sure of the report.