Again, traders at Douglas Road,Owerri were dispersed by a Special Task Force constituted by the Imo State government.
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The State Government had embarked on complete overhaul of the major road in Owerri close to the demolished Eke Ukwu Owerri market in line with its urban renewal programme.
In the last one month, traders at the area have been forcefully evacuated leading to loss of goods and displacement of the traders.Law enforcement agents were on hand to carry out the order yesterday which led to pandemonium along the major road.
In his reaction, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Uche Onyeagocha strongly condemned the act describing it as a relic of decades of military autocracy which cannot be condoned or tolerated in a civilian and democratic set up. He criticized the Okorocha administration for such unwarranted attack on innocent traders seeking legitimate means of survival.
He condemned the involvement of the Police which he said resorted to the use of tear gas canister on innocent traders.
“We therefore, call on the new commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Dasuki Galadanchi, to desist from using his men to perpetrate act of illegality and injustice against the people, because we shall no more condone such act of illegality, or any other conspiratorial alliance between the Governor and the Police to continue to abuse and attack innocent Imolites for no just cause.
“We call on the people not to relent as we have renewed our efforts to use all legitimate means within our disposal to fight any further illegality, atrocity and injustice against the people of the state” the lawmaker said in a statement signed by his Chief Secretary, Mac Enwere..