IPOB Members Dethrone Alaba Market Chairman

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Chairman of Alaba International Market Association, Mr. Patrick Iwuagwu has been dethroned and chased out of the market alongside his executives by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, who invaded the market, mounted their banners and declared the market as their territory in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at the market located in Ojo Local government area of Lagos.

It was confirmed that the proscribed group invaded the market, moved into the union office, chased out all the executives and took over the market. They equally displayed their banners, stickers and thereafter announced Alaba as a terrtory of the Indigenous People of Biafra which caused serious confusion in the market.

However, it took the intervention of operatives from the IRT team of the Inspector General of Police to dislodge the IPOB members from the market and arrest six members of the group. It was gathered that the group initially resisted the police before more strategic approaches were enforced to dislodge them and restore peace in the market.

Some of the arrested suspects were, Nzimorah Ifeanyi, 40, Uchenna Nnaji, 43, Kenneth Okenwa, 42, Godwin Odunukwe, 43, Chetachukwu Ujunwan, 38 and Jonas Chime, 50.

They were arrested and transferred to the Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos, while other members of the group escaped and were said to be on the run.

They were charged before Ikeja Magistrates court for being in possession of dangerous weapons, dethroning of Mr. Iwuagwu and operating an illegal society.

They pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Inspector Peter Nwaongwu did not oppose their bail application but asked the court to use its discretion to grant the suspects bail.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Y.O. Aje- Afunwa granted them bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum.
They were remanded in prison custody pending when they will perfect their bail condition.
The matter was adjourned till 27 October, 2018.

P.M.EXPRESS was yet to confirm if the chairman, Mr. Iwuagwu and his executives have been restored to their positions since the suspects were arrested.