Criminals turned Asaba market into hideout to commit heinous crimes – Okowa

Delta state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa on Sunday said that the Abraka Market in Asaba, before it was demolished, had been turned into a hideout for criminals to perpetrate heinous crimes, warning that the market will not be open for any business transaction.

Okowa, who made this known through a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifejika, disclosed that the decision to demolish the Abraka Market was informed by the activities of hoodlums, stressing that anyone who transacts business there again would be arrested.

While calling on the traders to relocate to the secured land at Oko Community by the head bridge, the hovernor said “the demolition of Abraka Market was not to witch-hunt anyone as currently being speculated in the state.

“But, a delibrate effort to avoid using the land as a den of criminals and criminal hideout. It’s unfortunate that people do not understand governance in the right direction; we will do everything possible to ensure the people are well positioned to do their businesses.”

Meanwhile, the state government following the rising cases of coronavirus pandemic in some states in Nigeria, has stepped- up efforts to ensure that the boundaries in the state are strictly monitored.

To this end, the state government has constituted a COVID-19 boundary enforcement task force to monitor compliance with its directive.

The task force members include the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Chris Onogba and 13 others who will ensure proper monitoring of the boundaries at Ologbo near Oghara and Ogan in Alifikede Community in Agbor.

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Also, the state Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC), Chile Ikpeamaonwu has said that the command will never compromise in its core mandate of securing critical national assets and ensuring peace in the state.

Dr. Ikpeamaonwu, who spoke to journalists at the weekend in Asaba, said that the command was committed to its responsibility of checking the activities of hoodlums.

On enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown, the NSCDC boss said that the command was also committed in partnering with other security agencies with a view to ensuring strict compliance in the state.