The Nigerian Army has reopened the Umuokpara -Onuimo -Owerri highway for public use after several days of closure following the attack on its personnel last week by gunmen.
This is even as traders at the nearby Onuimo Market have decried the recent order given them by soldiers to vacate the market till further notice.
Addressing newsmen after conducting the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Enugu, Major General H.T Dada and his team round the scene of the attack, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Security Matters, Navy Commander MacDonald Ubah (Rtd), said the army has resolved to relocate the military check point closer to the Onuimo River for clearer view.
Navy Commander Ubah noted that the location where the military personnel mounted the check point initially was a built up area, which made it difficult for the personnel to exercise freedom of movement to repel the attack.
He added that the traditional ruler of Ezeleke Autonomous Community, Eze Ibeakanma and other Community leaders have shown cooperation with the military to enable them to relocate because of the inconvenience the road closure has caused them.
“The communities in the area have volunteered to start clearing the new location and as well as volunteer information as security is everybody’s business,” he said.
He called on the public to keep supporting security agencies in their commitment towards nipping the new trend of insecurity in the bud.
The Brigade Commander, 14 Brigade Ohafia, Brigadier General Olusola Diya, the Commanding Officer,145 Battalion Umuahia, Major Martin Domkat and other senior military officers were part of the GOC’s entourage.
Meanwhile, traders at the nearby Onuimo Market have decried the recent order by soldiers asking them to leave the market till further notice.
Some of the traders who spoke in Umuahia on the development said: “Yes they opened the road which was a welcome development but entered inside the market and asked everyone to depart till further notice.”
The traders lamented that as a result of the closure of the road, some of them who attempted to access the market through the water way, had their canoes capsized on Friday last week.
They said it is unfair after suffering such losses, they would still be chased away from the market.
