Abia State Vigilante Service, popularly known as Bakassi, has denied killing a trader at Umuahia Industrial Market during a bloody clash between their men and some traders, on Monday.
The vigilante, in a statement by Idika Martins Mba, Commander-General, explained that his men were consulted by Abia State Internal Revenue Service to assist them to collect levies from traders in the industrial market, pointing out that traders attacked his men who were discharging their legitimate duties.
The Commander-General regretted that the traders burnt down the security outfit’s office in the market, together with a Toyota Hilux patrol van, two motorcycles and office equipment, all worth over N50 million naira.
But another account by traders in the market stated that Abia State Internal Revenue Service allegedly imposed the sum of N18,000 per shop in the market and was in the market on Monday to lock the shops of all recalcitrant shop occupants.
The account continued that the revenue officials engaged the services of the men of Abia State Vigilante, who on arrival, met resistance from some traders who refused to allow their shops locked.
Warning shots were then fired by a member of the vigilante, which wounded some traders, including a man simply identified as “Indomie.”
But hell was let loose at about 9:30 am when news of “Indomie’s alleged death from bullet wounds spread around the market, as some traders mobilised and set the Abia State Vigilante office in the market ablaze while the Revenue officials fled the scene.
Meanwhile, the Abia State government has ordered the vigilante group to withdraw from the industrial market.
The government in a statement issued through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chris Ezem, also directed the leaders of the industrial market to produce the arsonists that attacked the vigilante office.
Tribune Online gathered that the clash caused panic around the town on Monday morning as transporters avoided the Umuahia-Ahieke-Umudike road, even as nearby shops closed in fear, thinking it was a clash between security agencies and unknown gunmen.
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