- Market sealed
Chairman, Motor Spare Parts Market, Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Comrade Cletus Ojore is reportedly recuperating in hospital after he was attacked by invaders who be connected with leadership tussle in the market.
According to Daily Sun, trouble started brewing Monday, February 21 two factions battle over the headship of the market, located along Effurun-Sapele road.
The chairman, Mr. Ojore was reportedly beaten to a pulp and left in the pool of his blood by thugs suspected to have been unleashed by an opposing faction in an attempt to overthrow the chairman.
A source said: “The one who led the thugs is contesting for the chairmanship but the constitution of the market actually forbids him from contesting because he is not qualified. The constitution says you must have spent 10 years in the market to be eligible for position, but he went to court and the matter has been in court for the past two years now.
“Based on the prolonged legal battle, no election has been held since then so he now formed a faction for himself. The local council chairman decided that the current chairman should remain in office pending when the court decides but the other group took laws into their hands and mobilised thugs into the market.
“They laid ambushed for the chairman unknowing to all of us. As soon the man drove in they accosted him and started beating him. Everyone ran for his dear life because they came with dangerous weapons. We have to run first because they were heavily armed.
“The other faction is led by Ibo people too. The current chairman is from Ebu, Delta North. We know each other here. As we are talking they have started picking the boys one after the one. They have also locked their stores”, the source said.
It was gathered that the deployment of soldiers to the scene by the vice chairman of the market saved the day as the thugs were said to have gone berserk attacking perceived supporters of the chairman.
The development it was learnt prompted the closure of the market by the Uvwie Local Government chairman, Hon. Ramson Onoyake.
Security has been beefed up in the market which was yet to be unsealed for business to OBVIATE further violence.