50 Decomposing, 20 Headless bodies Found in Abia
No fewer than 50 decomposing, 20 headless bodies have been uncovered around Lokpanta Regional Cattle Market in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
Governor Alex Otti made the revelation during a media parley in Umuahia on Sunday night. He expressed regret that the vicinity of the market had become a den of criminals.
He vowed that there was no going back on the decision of the state government to eject all residents out of the market.
The Abia governor said it would become a day market “that closes in the evening and everybody goes home”.
Governor Otti noted that the ongoing campaign against insecurity in the Umunneochi/Isuikwuato axis was beginning to yield fruits.
Also, his administration was poised to pay the cost of restoring sanity, peace and order in the region and the entire state.
He vowed that no inch of Abia State, including where the bodies were found, would be allowed to serve as a breeding ground for criminals.
Furthermore, he said, anybody still opposed to the government’s efforts to sanitise the cattle market must be a criminal or an accomplice.
Governor Otti said that his administration had introduced technology in the fight against insecurity in the state. And he vowed to sustain the heat against criminals until total peace and security were restored.
Governor Otti said: “We have installed electronic equipment that tells us what is happening in every part of the state.
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“A few weeks ago, we discovered that a significant amount of ransom paid for kidnappings ended up in the vicinity of Umunneochi, prompting us to launch a raid.
During the operation, we made shocking revelations.
In less than 48 hours, we found more than 50 lifeless bodies in the vicinity of the cattle market in Umunneochi.
We uncovered over 20 decomposing headless bodies, including men, women, and children. Many skeletons of victims were also discovered.
Additionally, we exposed illicit activities such as gunrunning and prostitution within the market.
As a result, we concluded that the primary action required was to secure the market. We initiated the closure of numerous brothels and determined that the market, like any other, should operate during daylight hours, starting in the morning and concluding in the evening.”
Otti went on to mention that one of the measures to enhance security in the region was to transform the market into a multipurpose facility and encircle it with a fence.
“We also believe that those individuals residing within the market should relocate to their respective communities. Our objective is to ensure a peaceful Christmas in Umunneochi and other parts of the state.
Anyone who opposes this initiative must be involved in criminal activities, and there is no room for criminals in Abia anymore,” he emphasized.
Otti stated that the campaign against insecurity would not divert his administration from its development agenda. He pointed out that the ongoing infrastructure projects are progressing as planned and that additional road projects would be awarded in the coming weeks.
