Eight killed as gunmen attack cattle market in Abia

ABIA State government has confirmed the killing of eight persons by gunmen at a new cattle market in Omuma-Uzo in Ukwa West Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday. 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the state Commissioner for Information, Chief Eze Chikamnayo, who confirmed the incident in a statement made available to newsmen in Aba on Wednesday, hinted that on February 15, at about 11.35 p.m., some yet-to-be-identified hoodlums attacked traders at the cattle market. 

He explained that the government responded swiftly by mobilising security agencies to the scene to secure the lives and property of the traders and fish out the assailants. 

Chikamnayo stated: “This was followed this morning (Wednesday) by the visit of a high-powered team, made up of Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr Anthony Agbazuere; Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Chief Okiyi Kalu and the Commisioner of Police, CP Janet Agbede. 

“We are shocked and saddened by this mindless and barbaric act of violence that claimed the lives of no fewer than eight innocent citizens of our great country. We totally condemn this dastardly act, together with its wicked perpetrators.” 

Chikamnayo further said that government was working assiduously to provide support for families of the victims of the attack, adding that people who were injured in the attack were being given medical attention. 

The commissioner added that government had begun immediate relocation of the traders, and was working out compensation for lost property. 

“We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that the evil perpetrators are brought to justice,” he assured. 

Meanwhile, the Abia State government has vowed to fish out the gunmen who perpetrated the killings at the cattle market. 

“While waiting for the outcome of ongoing investigations by our diligent security forces, the governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, together with all Abians pray for God to grant the families of victims the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he said. 

In a related development, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has reacted to the recent attack on northerners living in Abia state by armed criminals, saying perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted. 

Reacting to the reports of the attack on Wednesday, CNG, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said that the state government must act quickly to bring the culprits to book and warned that the North would no longer tolerate unwarranted attacks on its people living as minorities in the South-East or any other part of the country. 

CNG said it had studied the unfolding events carefully and with considerable restraint and maturity, to the point of condoning and accommodating several unreasonable and unacceptable actions that have been perpetrated against northerners in the South-East in particular. 

It stated: “The recent attack in Abia has taken matters to a point whereby silence has become complicity and inaction is no longer an option in the face of unprovoked evictions, attacks and killings of northerners in various parts of the South-East. As a first step, we demand that the Abia State and the Federal Government must act quickly to arrest these criminals and expose their supporters within two weeks from today. 

“We also demand an immediate and comprehensive assessment of casualties and extent of damage inflicted on the innocent northerners and appropriate compensation made to the victims.” 

Meanwhile, the CNG said it was aware of the resort being made by self-appointed enemies of the North to force the region into reacting to their provocations in kind so as to usher in anarchy and greater instability. 

It stated: “We remind the ESN, the IPOB and their sponsors that they do not have monopoly of rascality and violence and that the patience of the North has reached its nadir and we are no longer prepared to turn the other cheek. 

“We warn that the North will no longer tolerate any further irrelevant treatment of northerners resulting from the hate campaigns and propaganda being conducted by regional and ethnic agitators, aimed mainly at instigating reprisals by northerners against people from other parts of the country. 

“We are quite aware that the perpetrators of this relentless violence pursuing this agenda of destruction and collective mayhem fervently hope it will engulf the entire country and bring about another civil war and mass killings and suffering of innocent people.”