CHUKWUEBUKA OHIZU
The Abia state police command has been called by the Registered Trustees of one of a foremost malls in Aba, Abia state to call the interim management of the Eziukwu Road Market to order, to avoid a possible breakdown of law and order.
According to the traders, the new Interim management of the Eziukwu Road International Market of extortion, harassment, intimidation, sabotage, as well as overstepping their bounds.
The tradets appeal is coming against the backdrop of the sealing of all the shops within a privately owned mall within the market, by the Eziukwu Road Market authorities over alleged non-payments of security fees.
Daily News Nigeria gathered that despite the traders earlier complaints, the interim market leadership insisted on the legality of its actions over the sealing the said mall, for refusal to pay its security fees.
In a petition dated May 19, 2025 and addressed to the Aba Area Command of the Police, and copied to the Abia State Commissioner of Police, the AIG Zone 9, Umuahia, and the Inspector General of Police, the traders also urged the police and other relevant authorities to carry out a comprehensive inquest into their disagreement with the Eziukwu Road Market leadership to avoid the breakdown of law and order.
In the petition which a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, the Alphareg Mall traders expressed shock and disbelief that their business premises could be sealed, even when they have been paying their statutory taxes and levies to the Government as at and when due.
In the petition written by their counsel, U E Nwogu, the traders alleged that the Eziukwu Road Market Chairman, Oba Moses, and one Ikechukwu Igwe, had on May 18, 2025 in company with some suspected hoodlums, invaded and sealed the Mall, while insisting that it will only be reopened on the payment of N350, 000 security fees by the traders.
The traders who insisted that they make all required necessary payments to government, vowed never to enrich the private pockets of individuals, by paying illegal levies.
“Our clients are the Registered Trustees of Alphareg Mall Traders Association, which is a private Mall situate at No, 102 Asa Road Aba.
“That since one of the registered trustees of the Plaza Chief A E Udeigbo left office as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Eziukwu Road Market, the persons mentioned above namely Moses Oba and Ikechukwu Igwe, have made serious attempts to sabotage the said plaza which belongs to Chief A E Udeigbo.
“That the said plaza has always been religious and prompt in the payment of taxes and levies which are known and payable to the Government.
“Unfortunately, the new leadership of the Eziukwu Road Market had on one occasion with some gun wielding bakassi boys came to forcefully take products belonging to customers, of which the matter is pending.
“Apart from the above incident, the same Oba Moses and Ikechukwu Igwe, with a group of thugs with arms came to our clients mall and seal all the shops, with a demand to pay a non-existent security fee of N350,000.
“The sole reason for this uncouth behaviour is to cause a breach of public peace at the Mall, which in turn might lead to a breakdown of law and order at the Market.”
The petition continued thus, “Those men came without demand notices, and against the rules governing collection of levies, gave the Manager of the Mall a private account belonging to Oba Moses and Ikechukwu Igwe to pay the purported levy.
“The conduct of Oba Moses and Ikechukwu Igwe amount to actions capable of breaching peace, and extortions and stealing.
“We have our clients’ instructions to appeal to you to use your good offices, to conduct an investigation in to the matter, with a view to bringing offenders to book, as well as enabling the traders have access to their shops”, the petition reads in part.
Explaining more to our correspondent, proprietor of the Mall, and immediate past Interim Chairman of Eziukwu Road Aba, Chief Udeigbo alleged victimization, and sabotage by some unseen forces.
According to him, it is a fact known to all and sundry that the said Mall is an independent enterprise from the Eziukwu Road Market.
According to Udeigbo, who is also the President General of Abia state Amalgamated Traders Association ASMATA, although at a point, the Mall was considered part and parcel of Zone 16, of the larger Eziukwu Road Market, it was however excluded in 2021.
The separation of the Mall from Eziukwu Road Market he stated was sequel to a letter from the traders, requesting to be independent of the operation of the larger market.
As at the time reporting, Igwe was a guest to the Aba Area Police Command, and as such could not be reached for comment, while Moses, the new chairman at the Eziukwu Road Market was said to be away on an official trip to Umuahia the state capital.
But reacting to the allegations, the Interim Chairman of the Eziukwu Road Market, Moses in a an interview with our correspondent, noted that the said Mall has been, and still remains under the supervision of the Market.
He explained, that the plaza, over the years has been part of Zone 16 of the larger market, and has been paying all relevant levies to the Eziukwu Road Market.
He claimed ignorance of any letter, and or any arrangements that exempted the mall from the supervision of the Market.
According to Moses, “The Mall in question over the years has been under the supervision of the main Market. Honestly, I am not aware of any arrangements that removed the mall from the control of Eziukwu Road Market.
“The said owner, of the mall, was the one I took over from as the chairman of the Market, and he is busy saying that the mall is a private enterprise, independent of the Market.
“To the best of my knowledge, the mall is under Eziukwu Road Market and what ever we do there is legal, and within our jurisdiction.”
The interim market chairman, however, acknowledged that the market leadership has been invited by the police to explain the circumstances surrounding the sealing the mall.
“Yes, the police invited us to appear today ( Tuesday May 20,2025). But, I sent my men, because iam not around. But as, soon I am back, I will honour the police invitation.”
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