Editor/
No fewer than 50 decomposing and 20 headless bodies have been discovered around Lokpanta Regional Cattle Market in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
The state Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, made the revelation when he spoke with newsmen yesterday night in Umuahia.
Otti said the vicinity of the market had become a den of criminals.
He vowed that there was no going back on the decision of the state government to eject all residents from the market.
He told newsmen: “We have installed electronic equipment that tells us what is happening in every part of the state.
“A few weeks ago, we found that a lot of ransom that was paid for kidnapping ended up somewhere around Umunneochi, and we decided to raid the place.
“During the raid, we made shocking discoveries.
“In less than 48 hours, we recovered over 50 dead bodies around the cattle market in Umunneochi.
“We recovered over 20 decomposing headless bodies: men, women, children.
“We recovered so many skeletons of people killed.
“We also discovered that gunrunning, prostitution and so many things were happening in the market.
“So, we realised that the first thing to be done is to secure the market.
“We went in and brought down many brothels.
“And we felt that the market, just like any other market, should be a day market, which starts in the morning and closes in the evening.”
Otti said part of the measures to boost security in the area was to convert the market to a general-purpose one and fence it.
He said: “We also feel that those people hibernating in the market should go and live in the communities.
“We want to have a peaceful Christmas around Umunneochi and other parts of the state.
“Anybody not supporting this move must be a criminal.
“And there is no place for criminals anymore in Abia.”
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