Ben Osuagwu, former chairman of the Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has condemned what he described as the violent looting of market traders by men he called “government-licensed criminals” operating under the name Entraco.
Speaking to journalists in Owerri, Osuagwu said the time has come for authorities to arrest and prosecute those responsible. “Time has come to start imprisoning the Entraco criminals,” he said. “It’s like the government is compensating criminals by arming them to loot widows and poor people’s goods under the guise of maintaining ‘order.’”
Osuagwu was speaking after reports that traders at Toronto Market had their shops forced open and goods stolen. He demanded that the state government immediately arrest everyone involved and hand them over to law-enforcement agencies.
“How come these poor traders locked up their shops and stalls and these government-decorated criminals broke into their shops and looted all their goods including money? This is absurd,” he said.
The veteran journalist urged prompt restitution for victims.
“Government must intervene immediately and direct those criminal elements to return the goods, money and every stolen item to those women within 24 hours. They should be compelled to return even a stick of broom they stole from the women,” Osuagwu said.
He acknowledged that trading in unauthorised locations is an enforcement issue, but argued that it does not justify violent theft.
“If the women were selling their items in an unauthorised place,
“The are not authorised to cart away their goods or monies. They can go with them and ask the traders to come to their office and bail their goods. But for them to break into locked shops in a violent manner and cart away their goods is condemnable and abominable.” he explained.
Osuagwu warned that the behaviour was widespread across markets in Owerri Municipal and surrounding areas and vowed that citizens would not abandon the state over the issue.
“These nefarious activities of these Entraco people happen in all the markets in Owerri Municipal and environs. Enough is enough. We are not running away from our state,” he said.
