Crisis: Onitsha youths allegedly beat market secretary to pulp

.,.. as Modebe family elders address traders

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

The crisis rocking Ozomagana Building Materials market, Onitsha, Anambra state, took a new dimension Tuesday as the secretary of the market, Patrick Obiekwe, was beaten to pulp by youths suspected to be  Onitsha indigenes.

Trouble was said to have started for the victim, Obiekwe, when some elders of Modebe family led by a 78 year old man, Samuel Menkiti Modebe stormed the market in solidarity to the traders over the state government intervention in the lingering crisis in the market.

It was while he, Samuel Modebe, was addressing the traders that about three vehicles load of youths stormed the scene, with one, a (sienna vehicle) with the inscription,

  “Facebook, Onitsha Youths”, and they made straight to the secretary who  was among the traders being addressed and beat him to pulp.

The youths who were armed to the teeth displayed matchetes, guns, clubs, among others which made the traders to disperse for their lives leaving the visiting elders to their fate.

Reacting to the incident, elder Samuel Modebe described the incident as unfortunate adding that it will not deter the entire Modebe family from her stand of being against illegality.

“We are not deterred, the entire family of Modebe is in support of the state government intervention and we are also in support of the traders since a few members of the family monopolized what is generated in the market.

“We also stand by the earlier 50 years lease agreement between us and Ozomagana market traders led by Obiora Okoro and we are not part of the intimidation of Obiora and the entire traders by just few.

“Three members of Modebe family that include Ikechukwu Modebe who led some youths to attack the secretary of the market, Obiekwe, it all happened in my presence as I was addressing the traders.

“I have told the traders that Ikechukwu Modebe with our daughter and one other person from Modebe should not continue to take what is meant for the entire Modebe family, we have to speak with one voice and not to speak differently,” he stated.

In his reaction, the injured Obiekwe said, “I escaped death by the whiskers because when the Onitsha youths led by Ikechukwu Modebe came to the gathering, Ikechukwu Modebe pointed at me and directed the youths to kill me which they tried to do so.

“I was immediately beaten with clubs, machete and butt of guns as they pushed me into gutter after running over me severally. They thought I have died and they fled warning that they will come back.

“After lodging this matter at Onitsha Police Area Command I will move to the hospital because I am weak and I don’t  know if I have internal bleeding,” he stated.

Also in his contribution, one of the elders of the Modebe family, Pastor Olisa Modebe said, “We are not part of the arrangement to re write a 50 year lease agreement that we have all signed earlier.

” We addressed traders that this is a collective mandate of Modebe family not for few.

We will look into the money a few members of Modebe are collecting illegally from you, traders, this is my first time of hearing it. I am the son of Modebe and our father is the first son which they know.

“We have full right here, all the children of Modebe have the right not only one person. If one of us did one thing correct, we will support him but if he does wrong, we will not. We will not do 419 in our business because it is not us that kept this land but Modebe himself.

“On what Ikechukwu Modebe and Onitsha youths did to Obiekwe, in our presence it is unfortunate but we urge the traders to forgive and forget. We are in full support of you traders and the state government that has intervened for a lasting peace,” he stated.

Speaking, Obiora Okoro lamented that only three people from Modebe family will hold the traders hostage because they claim to have Abuja connection adding that he is happy that Soludo has come into the matter.

“”The problem is that they, three people, want us to rewrite a 50 year lease agreement that all signed earlier but we said no and they use police to intimidate us,” he said.