Igbo traders in Bayelsa State yesterday protested the murder of their colleagues by suspected gunmen.
They were particularly angered by the alleged murder of a businessman, Agodo Martins at his Yenagoa home on Monday.
The hoodlums were said to have broken into the home of the businssman, who owns a popular boutique, Omars Fashion Plaza, in the Ompadec area of the Yenagoa-Mbiama Road.
It was gathered that the gunmen, who stormed Martins’ home on Punch Road, reportedly asked for money from their victim.
The businessman reportedly told his assailants that there was no cash at home because shops in the capital city were shut down for about four days in honour of the late Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was buried on Saturday.
After ransacking his apartment, the hoodlums were said to have killed Martins in the presence of his new wife.
The protesters, led by the President of Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC), Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, recalled that Martins was killed a few days after gunmen killed another Igbo businessman, identified simply as Ugochukwu, popularly called Ugo Best.
It was gathered that Ugochukwu was killed on the Azikoro road on his way home.
A source, who spoke in confidence said: “He was close to his house in company of his wife when gunmen in commercial tricycle blocked his car. They dragged him out of the car and forced him into the tricycle.
“His body was discovered the next day at the Azikoro cemetery with his hands and legs tied up. He was a successful businessman, who built a big house at the Azikoro village. We are scared”.
The traders also related how another businessman was murdered at the Tombia area, adding that others were harassed and injured by arm-bearing youths.
The traders assembled at the front of Omars boutique, forced shops to close down and marched with anger to the state command of the police.
They were received by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Peter Ogunyawo, and other senior police officers.
Presenting their grievances, Arthur-Ugwa said: “The Igbo are no longer safe in Bayelsa. We are being killed by gunmen. One was killed at Azikoro, the other one was killed at Tombia and today another one who just got married was killed in cold blood.
“We are not happy and we have closed down our business to come and tell you at the headquarters that we are not safe. If you cannot guarantee our safety, we will relocate our business and families out of the state. We are pleading for your assistance”.
Ogunyawo said crimes exist everywhere and were not targeted at the Igbo.
He said death is one debt everybody must pay and that nobody knows how it will be paid.
He said the command was doing everything possible to check the crime wave in the state and asked the traders to furnish the police with information to enable them become effective.
“We can’t be effective if you don’t partner with us. Once you have feelings of any crime, let us know. You don’t need to run to anywhere because crimes exist everywhere”, he said. The Nation
