*Discovers decomposing human bodies, skeletons
Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti on Sunday, revealed that during a raid of the forests near the Lokpanta Cattle Market in the Umunneochi section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, 20 decaying decapitated bodies and skeletons were discovered.
According to him, the market was also the location of another 50 bodies that were discovered nearby, and the ransom paid to kidnappers was also linked to the market.
Otti revealed this during the second round of his monthly media engagement in the state capital of Umuahia.
He said in keeping with his administration’s dedication to safeguarding the lives of all residents of the State, not a single square inch of its land mass would be left in the hands of lawbreakers.
Otto said the resolve of the State to make the cattle market a daily market was not targeted at any particular tribe in the country, but rather it was aimed at revamping the security architecture of the market and its host community.
“We have taken a stand to provide adequate security to Abia citizens and visitors because no government can succeed in the face of insecurity. This government will not get involved in supporting criminals or allow them to occupy any part of the State.
“When we decided to occupy the Lokpanta cattle market in Umunneochi Local Government Area, we discovered 50 dead bodies, 20 headless dead bodies, men, women and children and uncountable skeletons. We also discovered that ransoms paid to kidnappers were usually dropped close to the market,” he said.
The governor continued: “But it was unfortunate that some people misinterpreted our action to mean that we asked the Northerners trading in the market to leave the State, but after our interactions with leaders of the Northern community, we told them that anyone who is not in support of the moves we are making to secure the state must be a criminal, they saw reasons with us and quickly reversed the quit notice they issued to Igbo in the North.
“That’s why we have decided to make the market a daily market, people can go to the market and do their business and go home at the end of the day. The market will not be only a cattle market again, but it will have other sections for other goods like every other market.
“Those who live inside the market will now live among other people in the State outside the market.”