Man arrested for plotting to set Anambra market ablaze with charm
By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
A trader at Mgbuka Obosi Old Motor Spare parts market, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Mr. Ikenna Okafor, has been arrested for allegedly plotting to set the market ablaze in the wee hours of Monday.
Destroyed goods in the shop where he first set ablaze
He was said to have stormed the market at about 3.30 am, cleverly dodged the market security outfit and sneaked into the VG garage and set fire in one of the shops, to escalate to the entire market.
On the process, the security men saw the fire and on rushing to the scene, saw the man running, pursued him and arrested him even as he pleaded to them to mention any amount of money for him to be freed, but his plea felt on deaf ear.
The suspect
The chairman of the market, Chief Samuel Ifulunwa, was contacted by the security men on phone and he rushed to the market where he was briefed on the ugly incident.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the chairman stated that the shop he started from, to set the market ablaze was almost gutted by the inferno as the roof of the shop was blown off and wares worth millions of naira destroyed before the vigilante operatives were able to quench the raging inferno.
"This is wicked act and I have to call the President General, PG, of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders' Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna, for necessary action and he came immediately. We have interviewed the man to know why he did that.
"He told us that there was a time they stole his goods and nobody agreed to have stolen the goods which prompted him to contact a native doctor who gave him charm that he would use to set the market ablaze in retaliation.
"When the news of the incident filtered into the ears of the traders, they rushed to the market and were about to set ablaze alive but the PG and I pleaded that we should not take the law into our hands. They agreed with us," he further stated.
The ASMATA PG, Chief Humphrey Anuna, on his part corroborated the view of the market chairman saying that due process should be taken to avoid being blamed for taking the law into their hands.
"We are going to Awka to hand over the suspect to the police. Due process must be taken, we should not take the law into our hands so that we will not be blamed for our unlawful action," the PG stated.
Tags
CRIME