No fewer than two traders have been reportedly killed while several other people were also injured in a protest that broke out in Enugu State.
It was learnt that the protest follows the indefinite closure of Ogbete Main Market in Enugu State by Governor Peter Mbah over noncompliance with his ban on sit-at-home.
The trouble was said to have started on Wednesday morning when traders whose shops were sealed told the market leadership that their shops must be unsealed for business or those unsealed would not open for business.
A trader in the market, Gerald Uzu while speaking with Journalists said that there was a protest on Wednesday following the insistence of some traders that their shops must be opened or there would be no trading in the market.
“Shortly, soldiers and hundreds of policemen were deployed to the market by the governor. They came in and started shooting and locking up shops. The soldiers shot two traders dead inside the market. I escaped unhurt by only the Grace of God,” he said.
Governor Mbah-led administration had declared war on residents and private businesses that fail to open for business on Mondays.
It was reported that Governor Mbah ordered the sealing of several shops, malls and banks on Monday, which he accused of observing “illegal sit-at-home” called for by a Nigerian separatist living in Finland, Simon Ekpa.
Justifying the sealing of private businesses, Governor Mbah in a statement issued on Tuesday, which was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia said that businesses sealed on Monday would be closed for one week.
He also imposed that owners of businesses sealed must provide their current tax clearance certificates and all other relevant revenue documents at the end of one week to enable the state government to review and consider their formal letters for re-opening otherwise they would be auctioned off or permanently forfeited to the state government.
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