We won’t tolerate illegal structures inside Lokpanta trailer park, Abia govt replies cattle dealers
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government, has said it would not tolerate erection of illegal structures inside the Lokpanta trailer park built by the Federal Government.
The Government bluntly told cattle dealers at the nearby Regional Cattle Market that the trailer park was for trucks and should not be converted into shanties.
The response is coming on the heels of the suit by some cattle dealers against the State Government, to halt its proposed demolition of illegal structures at the Cattle market.
Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr Chaka Chukwumerije, who spoke with Ikengaonline, explained that the demolition notice served on the traders had to do with illegal structures at the trailer park.
He said it was wrong for anybody to attempt to convert the trailer park into another market by erecting illegal structures in it.
The Commissioner said that the current demolition notice had nothing to do with the cattle market for which the Cattle dealer were said to have sued the State Government, adding that the original purpose of the trailer park should not be distorted.
“The trailer park developed there by the federal government is for trailers and not for people to erect shanties. The present demolition notices that were served relate to illegal structures erected in the trailer park.”
The Commissioner said that fencing of the cattle market was nearing completion.
Recall that the State Government had in a move to curb insecurity in the region, decided late last year, to fence the cattle market.
Government also directed those residing inside the market to find accomodations elsewhere in the neighbouring communities and towns.
The State Government argued that some criminal elements had taken undue advantage of residential huts inside the market to infiltrate the market.
However, the decision did not go down with some cattle traders who opposed the move, claiming it amounted to chase Northerners out of the state.
The cattle dealers in a suit marked HUM/9/2024 urged the State High Court sitting in Isuochi, to stop the Government from the proposed demolition.
Twelve litigants including the Sarkin Zango, Hussaini Muhammad and Buba Kedemure, the Spokesman of the group, sued for themselves and on behalf of cattle dealers and the market residents.
They argued that the State Government, about 20 years ago, acquired the cattle market and handed over to them, claiming that they have to reside inside the market to be able to closely monitor their animals.
But the State Government has argued that there is no major market in Nigeria where traders are allowed to reside inside the market.
Meanwhile, the court will on March 13, decide on an application for interlocutory injunction seeking to restrain government from carrying out demolition of residential houses inside the market, pending the hearing and determination of the case.
There has been remarkable improvement in the security of lives and property around the area since Government began a crackdown on shanties around the cattle market late last year.
Gov. Alex Otti had said over 50 decomposing headless bodies were discovered around the forests in the area, hence the decision of Government to beef up security in the area.
Before the current efforts began, kidnapping was almost a daily occurrence on Lokpa/Ihube/Okigwe axis of the Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway, and other parts of Umunneochi.
After the launch of Operation Crush by the State Government, the entire region hitherto known as the hotbed of the state, had witnessed some calm.
