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No fewer than 1000 traders of the Abakaliki building materials market were on Monday morning displaced following the demolition of the market by the Ebonyi State government.
The incident happened in the early hours of Monday when the state government sent in bulldozers to demolition the premises following the court order to demolish the market.
Tribune Online gathered that the directive was given to the traders by the state government to evacuate the premises and move to their permanent site which is located along Abakaliki – Afikpo Road expired on February 28, 2021.
However, with the expiration of the date, the demolition took some traders unaware as the new market is yet to be completed.
TODAY
December 18, 2020
Soldiers and other security agents yesterday cordoned off the Abakaliki Building Materials Market over alleged reports of stockpiling of ammunition by some traders.
Newsmen gathered that the security agents surrounded the market in a commando-style around 9am and barred access in and out of the premises.
They also closed off the Afikpo Road leading to the market, forcing motorists and commuters to take alternate routes. Afikpo Road is the main entrance into Abakaliki from the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway and the closure caused traffic snarl around the area.
A top security source said the security agencies were at the market following the alleged discovery of a cache of ammunition in the market.
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Army, SSS, police cordon off Abakaliki market
A security source said ammunition was discovered at the market
The security agents were said to have surrounded the market in a commando-style around 9 a.m.
They refused entry to the market to everyone while those already in the market before they arrived were not allowed to leave.
They also closed off the Afikpo Road leading to the market forcing motorists to take alternate routes.
The road is the main entrance into Abakaliki from the Enugu-Abakaliki expressway and so the closure caused heavy traffic around the area.
A security source said the security agencies were at the market following alleged discovery of a cache of ammunition in the market.