Two killed, others wounded as soldiers, traders clash in Onitsha

Okodili Ndidi, Onitsha - 27.01.2008

Two persons were shot dead and several others wounded as soldiers and traders clashed on Saturday in Onitsha over Anambra State ejection order on traders along the Bridge Head area of the Commercial city.

Trouble started when armed soldiers purportedly drafted from the 302 Artillery Regiment Onitsha, invaded the controversial plot of Land shooting indiscriminately at the traders who blocked the Enugu/ Onitsha expressway in protest against the relocation order, thereby causing traffic congestion along the Niger Bridge and environs.

According to eye witness report, the traders, mainly Hausas and Yorubas, who ignored the State government’s ejection order, engaged the Soldiers in a war of wits, stating that it is only the Federal government who allocated the land to them that has the right to eject them.

One of the traders, simply identified as Mallam Salleh, lamented the manner the armed soldiers were set against the helpless traders, disclosing that goods worth over N100million were lost in the fracas.

Other traders who spoke on condition anonymity, condemned the military action taken against the traders, describing it as undemocratic and crude, adding that such decisions taken by the state government was capable of inciting crisis in the state with reprisal attacks in other parts of the country.

However, when contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the Anambra State governor, who condemned the action, denied government’s involvement in the military action against the traders, stating that the government of Peter Obi, believes in dialogue as a way of finding lasting solutions to internal frictions.

The Policearea Commander, Rashid Akintunde, confirmed the death of two persons in the fracas, but said he did not know the cause of the demonstration and the shootout, stressing that the Police was investigating the matter.

All efforts to reach the Commander of the 302 Artillery Regiment Onitsha, Colonel Ikpeme, failed as he refused to pick the calls made.