Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The people of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, have raised the alarm that the Regional Cattle Market located in their vicinity, has become a den for drug traffickers where all manner of hard drugs are haboured.
They decried the devastating effects of hard drugs on their youths, lamenting that youths in the area have been ruined as a result of consumption of the hard drugs especially methamphetamine popularly known as mkpurumiri in local parlance.
The communities regretted the presence of the Regional Cattle Market located in the area, describing it as a constant source of sorrow, agony and misery and not any blessing.
According to the locals who spoke when Senator Mao Ohuabunwa visited them to register his concern and solidarise with them over the menacing activities of kidnappers and bandits in the area, regretted the siting of the cattle market in their Council.
Speaking on behalf of the youths, Umunneochi Youths Leader, Prince Divine Uche, said that ever since the market was sited at the Council by former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, communities in the area had never had peace again.
He described the presence of the cattle market as the major source of insecurity in Abia North and its environs, alleging that the market provides a safe haven for bandits, Kidnappers and hard drug dealers.
“This Garki cattle market is the greatest insecurity in Umunneochi.
“Apart from the bandits hiding in the market, the shanties in the market where harlots stay are the den of hard drugs in the state.
“They have destroyed our youths. We even prefer that they take ordinary cocaine instead of ‘mkpurumiri’ (methamphetamine) which is the order of the day in that place.
“Mkpurumiri has made so many youths useless. Nothing good is coming from that cattle market. Instead of something good, it has been a constant source of agony and sorrow to our people.
“There is no going back in our position that Government must relocate that market. Those who brought it should take it back to their own village. We don’t need it, it has never been beneficial to us,” he lamented.
He said that the people of Umunneochi had decided to put the collective interest of the people above party affiliations in 2023, vowing that the party which is helplessly supervising the misery of the people will be roundly rejected in 2023.
The youths vowed to take drastic measures to curb and menace to save the future of youths of Umunneochi.
