Traders at Tollgate Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area have made a Save Our Soul, SOS, call to Governor Chukwuma Soludo over alleged extortion and shutting down of the businesses by some youths.
The traders alleged that the youths, who described themselves as Ogbunike youths, have, for some times, been harassing and intimidating them to pay between two hundred and five hundred naira, which the traders said has become unbearable.
When ABS team visited the market, it was observed that little or no business activity was ongoing; as many of the shops were closed, while some traders were secretly selling their goods in order not to be noticed.
At Emenike junction Tollgate by Fenabros, properties were seen destroyed and most of the shops closed as traders deserted the area for safety.
Speaking at the Emenike junction, a vulcanizer, Mr. Monday Chibueze, and a trader, who pleaded anonymity, said some groups of boys numbering over eighty stormed the area on Thursday, sixteenth February 2023 and destroyed properties while issuing warnings to traders, which they said made them to run away for safety; as they did not know what was going on.
At the Tollgate, Mrs. Maureen Udeozor and Mrs. Eugenia Okoye recalled that a group of boys came to the market, forcing them to close all shops or they would be dealt with, adding that they all complied as they do not want to be hurt or have their goods destroyed.
For Mr. Josiah Ejikeme, traders at the Tollgate have suffered untold hardship because of the illegal levies, even as he appealed to the state government for intervention on constant collection of tolls and levies by unidentified persons and groups.
Also speaking, a female petty trader at the Tollgate recalled how she was called by her daughter who manages her restaurant at the market, adding that when she rushed to her shop, she saw some youths who claimed that she has unresolved issues with the owners.
She revealed that this is the second time the youths are extorting money from them, and called on parties involved to come to a round table and settle their differences, instead of the youths closing people’s shops and destroying their properties
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