Commercial activities in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, have been paralyzed as a result of the recent clash between suspected political thugs belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the weekend.
Recall that no fewer than 20 persons were either stabbed or shot during the clash which started between Friday and Sunday morning.
Thugs loyal to both political parties were alleged to have exchanged gunshots over the forthcoming general elections in the area.
Many businesses and places of worship close to the vicinity of the crisis have remained shut as most residents were scared to return to the area.
Some of the traders who spoke to our correspondent lamented that since the crisis started they have lost a lot of money.
According to them, “we can no longer go to their various shops to continue our businesses,” the said.
Mr Solomon Nnamdi, a trader, who spoke to BusinessDay said, “Since these people started fighting we have lost a lot of money. This is the third day our businesses have been suffering.
“We want to appeal to the Delta State government to come to our aid and resolve this crisis.
“We have no other business to do other than the one we are doing now. How can we take care of our families if we don’t go out to look for money,” he said.
Another trader who gave her name as Angela Oniovosa, a tomato seller at the Effurun market, said she was a widow and that ever since she lost her husband she has been taking care of her two children from the tomatoes business.
She said, “For the past three days now my children have not been eating well. I need to feed them well and how do I feed them if I cannot go the market to sell my wares. We are pleading with the government to intervene in this crisis so that we can go back to our business.
Some youths took advantage of the mayhem to rob passersby and vehicle owners of their valuables, and most drivers abandoned their vehicles in the middle of the road to run for their lives.
It took the intervention of soldiers from the nearby 3 Battalion, Effurun, to restore normalcy to the area.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Andrew Aniamaka told our correspondent in Warri that so far, 13 people have been arrested in connection with the crisis, adding that investigation was still ongoing.
