Anambra govt Wades into traders, Modebe family market crisis

….. orders stop work..

…..As traders laud Govt

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

Worried by the market crisis between Ozomagana Building Materials Association and Modebe Enterprises, (Modebe family), Onitsha, Anambra state which has lingered for about a year now, the Anambra state government has wadded into the crisis and stopped all works going on in the market pending the determination of the matter.

In the letter to stop work and other activities in the market which was signed and addressed to the caretaker committee of the market by the Commissioner for  Commerce, Nomso Ebonwu, it was also copied from the DPO, Central Police station Onitsha, and the Modebe family.

The letter was titled, “Urgent directive for immediate cessation of demolition and construction works at the Ozomagana Building Materials Market , Onitsha, pending conclusion of investigation.”

“According to the Commissioner, “I have received and carefully reviewed a formal petition dated 23rd June, 2026, filed by aggrieved members of the Ozomagana Building Materials Market, Onitsha.

The petition outlines several critical grievances regarding the administration of the market under your current leadership and calls for urgent intervention.

“The petitioners have raised profound and actionable allegations that require immediate regulatory scrutiny.

These include the unlawful demolition of established market shops and building plazas without issuing formal notices or consulting the affected traders, resulting in massive losses of goods and properties. 

“It is also alleged that your committee has secretly commenced a new plaza construction project on land belonging to the Market Association without proper disclosure, fraudulently converting public market structures into personal holdings. 

Furthermore, complaints have been made regarding the systemic harassment of traders through private security forces and the outright violation of the active State Government embargo placed on structural modifications without requisite approvals first had and obtained.

“Consequently, in the interest of justice, the rule of law, and to prevent a total breakdown of peace and economic stability within the Onitsha commercial hub,

I hereby order and direct you to IMMEDIATELY STOP ALL DEMOLITIONS, structural alterations, and further  construction works at the Ozomagana Building Materials Market plaza or any properties associated therewith.

“This directive is absolute, takes effect immediately, and shall remain firmly in force pending the full conclusion of the investigation currently being conducted by this Ministry into the matter.

For the avoidance of doubt, any continuation of work, demolition, or disruption of the peace under any guise will be treated as willful defiance of State Authority and will attract immediate executive sanctions, including the dissolution of your Caretaker Committee.

You are expected to ensure absolute compliance with this order and maintain total peace within the market environment.

“Please accept as always the assurances of my esteem regards,” he ended.

In a swift reaction, the former chairman of Onitsha International Electronics market, Izu Okoye, described the state government intervention as a right step disclosing that it will end incessant arrest and subsequent detention of traders in the market by the legal department, Police Force headquarters Abuja.

Explaining further he said that the said Legal department sees Onitsha as fertile ground  to get rich quickly adding that on three  occasions the department has besieged Onitsha and arrested the chairman of the market, Obiora Okoro and others on alleged trumped up charges.

According to him, “There was an agreement for 50 years lease between the traders and Modebe family for 10 plazas at #7million each which amounted to #70million and money paid.

And Modebe family later said that the agreement will be counseled that money agreed upon was low and the traders refused which prompted incessant and repeated arrest of Obiora and some traders by the Police from Abuja to intimidate the traders to rewrite and sign a new lease agreement 

“The arrest was started by the banned Special Investigation Unit, (SIU), Force Headquarters Abuja who took order from a retired Inspector General of Police, IGP, who they call (Daddy)against the traders but on assumption of office, the incumbent IGP, Tunji Disu sacked SIU and other bad eggs within police formations.

“We are happy with the Commissioner of Commerce because he started well in his appointment and we pray that God will give him the strength because traders in Onitsha have been subjected to hardship by the Abuja police. 

The chairman of Provision market Ochanja, Sunday Okechukwu, Obiora Okoro who is chairman of Ozomagana traders and chairman of Iweka Electronics market have been detained at Abuja for refusing to re-write and sign a new lease agreement.

“I must confess that the immediate past Special Adviser (SPAD) to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Trade and Commerce, Everest Uba, was the cause of this crisis because he was biased and removed the elected chairman of Ozomagana market, Obiora Okoro and appointed a caretaker committee, saying that Obiora was owing the state government market IGR that was false.

“Obiora was generating #20,500,000 to state government and the caretaker committee generates #7million but pay to government, #900,000 because bulk money generated by it was used to settle Abuja police against Obiora and others for refusing to sign new lease agreement,” Izu maintained.