Lokpanta Cattle Market, highest HIV transmission centre in Abia

 From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

Pix shows Chief Amobi Ogah addressing the stakeholders meeting

Lokpanta Cattle Market in Umuchieze Clan of Umunneochi Local Government area has been described as HIV incubation centre where the highest rate of transmission of the deadly virus in Abia State allegedly takes place.

A medical practitioner, Dr Amobi Ifeanyi Uwaezuoke, dropped the bombshell on Saturday at Mbala, Isuikwuato local government headquarters, during a Town Hall meeting between members of the House of Representatives’ Ad-Hoc Committee charged with finding lasting solution to insecurity in the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency and critical stakeholders.

Members of the Committee were in the Constituency to interface with relevant security agencies and stakeholders on how to curb kidnapping, assassinations and banditry in and around Isuikwuato and Umunneochi local government areas of Abia.

The Committee was set up by the House of Representatives sequel to a motion by the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Chief Amobi Ogah.

Prior to Amobi’s motion, the two local government areas were the nexus of insecurity in Abia, as kidnapping, killings and banditry were common place in and around the two local governments.

The Ad-hoc Committee, Chaired by the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Chief Obi Aguocha, said they were in Isuikwuato to interact with the people and hear from them, the solutions they were proposing for ending insecurity in the federal Constituency.

In his presentation, a bitter Uwaezuoke, said the Lokpanta Cattle Market has baptised Umunneochi as the “Siberia” of Abia State, adding that Umunneochi has been deserted by its residents for fear of being abducted.

“Medical practitioners have deserted Umunneochi for fear of being kidnapping. The High Court in Nkwoagu Isuochi has been moved to Umuahia for the past two years because of insecurity, with the attendant loss of jobs and difficulties experienced by litigants.

“Our women no longer go to farms because of the activities of kidnappers and we are now suffering acute hunger.

The Lokpanta Cattle Market is the highest place for transmission of HIV. It is also a centre sales of hard drugs which has destroyed our youths  and brought Umunneochi to disrepute and exposed the community to public opprobrium,” the medical doctor said.

Recall that the state government, in its security operations aimed at curbing to insecurity in the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, known as “kidnapping axis,” recently destroyed 150 brothel rooms in the market.

For Uwaezuoke, the best solution to the security menace posed by the cattle market was to relocate it entirely. He also demanded for payment of reparation to the people of the Federal Constituency because of the damages they have suffered.

But the medical doctor’s call for the relocation of the market was at variance with the recommendations of the immediate landlord of the cattle market, the Umuchieze Clan.

Umuchieze Clan virtually towed government’s plan for the market, recommending that the market should be fenced and made non-essential. The clan emphasized that nobody should live close beyond half a kilometre to the market.

They also demanded, among other things, provision of potable as the women cried out that cattle have destroyed their only source of drinking water in the area, job opportunities and empowerment and scholarship for the youths, as well as encouraging security agencies and traditional rulers to enable them to play their roles effectively.

Welcoming the stakeholders which included security agencies, traditional rulers, Presidets-General of the communities and religious leaders, Aguocha said their presentations would be laid on the floor of the  the House of Representatives for deliberation and adoption.

On his part, Chief Ogah said he promised his constituents that insecurity in the area would end by December this year which is what the Ad-hoc Committee aims to achieve.

He called for the continued support and cooperation of all, saying employment and empowerment would follow when security prevails in the environment