Abia State Government has said that it has discovered over 50 decomposed dead bodies, over 20 headless bodies and countless human skeletons in and around Lokpanta Cattle Market in Umunneochi LGA of the state.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State disclosed this during his monthly media chat tagged ‘Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,’ held in the Government House, Umuahia.
He assured that his government was committed to tackling the issues of insecurity headlong without minding whose ox was gored.
He said that his administration would be employing electronic gadgets to checkmate kidnappings and other criminalities in the area and other parts of the state.
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Governor Otti noted that prostitution, narcotics trade and other criminal vices around the Lokpanta Cattle Market necessitated the recent raid of the market as some brothels were brought down and that there is now calm in Umunneochi.
The Abia Chief Executive who insisted that the Lokpanta market would become a daily market to open at 6am and close at 6pm, and would now become a general market as sections have been allotted to the cattle dealers and other businesses too.
He made it public that his administration was equally fencing the market, all aimed at ensuring adequate security.
According to him, the Lokpanta area was notorious for kidnapping and armed robbery, hence the decision of his administration to make the market a daily one.
He said that though the policy was misunderstood, after a meeting with the leadership of the market, everyone agreed with the government’s stand on making the market a daily one for the good of all.
He further noted that, “We are single-minded about rooting out insecurity in Abia State. Because we know that no government can succeed in the face of insecurity, violence, armed robbery and kidnapping.”
The state chief executive officer said that gadgets would be deployed at strategic places to ensure the security of lives and property in state.
He added that his administration was poised to ensuring Abians enjoy a great Christmas this year and maintained that, “This government will not get involved in supporting insecurity. Our devices will be installed in strategic places.”
While responding to questions from newsmen, Governor Otti informed that his administration was deploying a different approach to securing the release of the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. He added that such approach was not for public consumption.
“But I believe in result rather than media hype. We do not want the media noise. We are working very hard to ensure his release and the truth of the matter is that it’s not the present government that incarcerated Nnamdi Kanu. My personal position is that the new government does not need to inherit wrong thing of the previous administration,” he said.
Otti expressed them optimism that his own approach would yield the needed result, and it was only when the result had been achieved that the public would be informed about it.
He further said his administration was committed to infrastructure development of the state, adding that he has awarded the Ohafia-Abam-Okobo-Arochukwu Road for construction.
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Otti also said that construction work would soon commence in Nunya Road in Isuikwuato LGA, while informing that the Federal Government would soon commence work on the Ohafia-Ihechiowa-Uturu Arochukwu Road.
The governor used the opportunity to thank Abia people and residents for their massive support to his administration and enjoined them to have faith in his administration.
