GOVERNOR Alex Otti has stated that over 80 bodies have been found from a kidnappers’ nest in Abia State.
According to Otti, security intelligence revealed that ransoms paid for kidnapped victims were always handed off at Umuchieze Cattle Market in Lokpanta, Umunneochi Local Government Area (LGA).
He stated that this was revealed after various electrical devices were put throughout the state.
The governor revealed this at the monthly media briefing at Government House in Umuahia.
“We installed electronic equipment to find out what is happening in every part of the state. A few weeks ago, we found that a lot of the ransom that was paid for kidnapping ended up somewhere around Umunneochi LGA.
“We decided to dominate the place and what we saw was shocking. In less than 48 hours, we recovered over 80 dead bodies around the cattle market, and we recovered 20 headless bodies decomposing bodies which include adults and children.
“We recovered uncountable skeletons of people who had been killed and left to decompose still around that axis,” he said.
He expressed the resolve of the state government to rid Abia of all forms of crime because ”no government succeeds in the face of insecurity.”
Otti stated that the government will neither condone or participate in any way in encouraging insecurity.
He further stated that all sorts of crime, such as gun running, prostitution, drugs trading, and heavy substance use, were prevalent in the market.
He added that investigation into the perpetrators of the act were still ongoing.
The governor noted that this influenced the state government’s decision to convert the livestock market into a general market.
He went on to say that the state government had taken steps to secure the market by fencing it and issued a directive that the market be designated as a non-residential daily market open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Otti said in line with government’s directives, the market would no longer be exclusively for the sale of cattle, but it would operate as a general market where other items would be sold.
“Now some persons said that we had sent away the Hausa community living in Abia, but remember when we saw the skeletons, we did not know which skeletons belonged to either Hausa or Yoruba.”
“The spread of the false information led to a norther group issuing a quit notice to Igbo living in the North to leave and come back to East.
The governor explained that a meeting was held with the group, during which explanations were given about government’s intention.
“We challenged them that anybody that is not in support of what we are doing must be a criminal, then they saw reason with us and reversed themselves,” he added.
Otti said that the state government was desirous to maintain peace and stability to encourage the people of Abia to move about in the state, especially during the Yuletide without any fear of harassments.
“I can assure you that Umunneochi is calm,” he added.
