Traders in Rivers State have been heeding the call of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, for a collaboration with individuals, organisations to reduce crimes in the state.
To this end, the Mile One Market Traders Association (MOMTA) recently declared war on illegal structures and other attachments within the market area as a way of checking and ensuring security. The executive of the association set up a committee to ensure the removal of all such illegal attachments within and around the market.
Speaking on the development, last week, chairman of MOMTA, Deacon Kenneth Eze, said the executive took the decision in view of the prevailing security in the country. According to him, the association is doing every possible thing to ensure that the market is secure.
Noting that MOMTA was out to protect the market, Eze said the Mile One Divisional Police Headquarters had come to sensitise and brief the traders on the current security challenges in the state, adding that this informed the decision of the MOMTA executive to start the demolition of illegal structures in the market.
According to him, another committee has been set up to monitor movements of goods and vehicles into the market. He also said the market would be opening for normal trading activities from 6:00 pm daily and would remain open till the evening. The chairman said tallies were being issued to all wheel barrow pushers by the market authorities as a way of identifying them.
“We have taken steps to check the influx of wheel barrow pushers into the market and that is why we are giving those we recognise an identity. Those without identity will not be allowed to operate within the market”, he said, just as he disclosed that MOMTA had already issued a security notice and also urged all traders in the market to be security-conscious.
Since assuming office of the state police command in February, Ogunsakin, with his men and officers, has made over 800 arrests of the suspected criminals said to have perpetrated ranges of crimes.
