Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has ordered the arrest and detention of the Acting President General, Caretaker Committee of Bridgehead Market, Onitsha, Chief Chinedu Ezekwike.
A source close to the market said Chief Ezekwike was arrested on 22/12/2022 by Police from Fegge Division on the orders of the Governor himself.
It was gathered that the Governor was infuriated by the commencement of the rebuilding of the shops razed down in November this year during the explosion of chemicals at Onitsha Drug Market
The chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area who led the team for the arrest was said to have stopped the work at the site on Wednesday.
But Ezekwiike was said to have asked the workers to continue with the work, leading to the order of his arrest.
Efforts to bail the President General on Thursday night failed as Garuba, the Divisional Police (DPO), Fegge, was said to have turned the request down on the ground that he has not received directive from the Governor to set him free.
Last Tuesday the traders whose shops were burnt down were jubilant as work for the rebuilding of the shops commenced.
The market was razed down on November 8, 2022, following explosions whose cause was yet to be ascertained.
The traders had wanted to commence work earlier but were halted to allow permission from the State Government.
This had caused some agitation among traders but on Tuesday, the President-General of the market, Chief Ezekwike flagged off the reconstruction of the shops by laying the foundation for the reconstruction.
Source revealed that Governor Soludo does not want the market to be rebuilt because he wants to turn it into motor park since the entire Drug market would be relocated to Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area by next year.
But some are asking where would the traders be earning their living before the relocation.
