There is uneasy calm in Mgbuka Amazun market, situated along Onitsha-Owerri road, Oniitsha, Anambra State following delay in release of abducted chairman of the market, Chief Enibe Francis.
The chairman was reportedly kidnapped in the early hours of September 25, 2023, being Monday Sit-at-home, by yet-to-be identified gunmen, and has not been released 11 days after.
The gunmen who stormed the market with an SUV, reportedly beat him to pulp and whisked him away to an unknown destination and were yet to establish contact with his family or relations.
Reacting on the incident, Chairman of Sokoto market, Onitsha, Hon. Emeka Eze, said Chairmen of various markets in the state had been gripped by fear since Enibe’s abduction, adding that prayers had been intensified over his immediate release.
He said, “What happened was unfortunate, we have to embark on serious prayers for his release alive. Government should provide enough security to the markets if the Monday sanitation and prayer should continue because with the latest ugly development, fear has gripped traders.
“We are not happy with what happened, that our brother is being held. Government should do something because it means we are not save. Nnamdi Kanu should also be released for all these crimes to end.
“Vigilante group can’t do this thing alone, there should be joint security operatives to face the fire power of the unknown gunmen because they don’t operate with pump action guns but military rifles like Ak47 guns and other sophisticated weapons.
Also speaking, Chairman of Haruna market, Chief Emmanuel Idoko described as weak security in the market where the incident occurred, calling on government to beef up security in the market.
“For these gunmen to have picked the Mgbuka Amazun market chairman without any resistance from the market vigilante group or any other persons means that the security there is porous and not at alert when the unknown gunmen stormed the market.
“We have security in my market and I am the Chief Security Officer of ASMATA, we are asking the Governor to beef up security as this is a slight on the traders, it looks unbelievable that the market head was kidnapped.
“The governor is the one that asked us to do sanitation on Mondays, and open our shops. We discussed it with him during our last meeting at Awka and he assured us of provision of security. Markets suppose to have joint task force so that the traders will be determined.
“We did our Monday prayers and stayed throughout. When we got the call, we decided to rush to Mgbuka Amazu. The incident also put fear on traders as my traders did not turn up after the incident. We’re praying for the release of Nnamdi kanu every Monday so the crime will end.
“I don’t know why some people will be terrorizing the market, we believe that if Nnamdi Kanu is released, all these hoodlums will stop, if other things come up, then we know that they are criminals not freedom fighters,” he added.
On his part, Chairman of Grain Seed market, Chief Chijioke Okpala described as cowards market chairmen and others who refused to open their markets for fear of attack based on the Mgbuka Amazu market incident
“The kidnap of chairman of that market did not put fear in us, we opened our market last Monday and will continue to open our market. The problem with that market was that the security operatives there were not at an alert when the unknown gunmen struck.
“We agreed with the Government that there should be security patrol all over the market on Monday sit-at-home but Government has not put up enough security. We pray that they should release Mgbuka Amazu’s chairman. His abduction is unfortunate as there was no challenge from any quarters against the unknown gunmen when they came calling.
“I was told that when they stormed the market, they beat the chairman to stupor, bundled him into a waiting SUV and whisked him to an unknown destination and has not been seen till today.
“We are praying for his release alive so that more fear will not grip the traders”, he pleaded.
