By Ebere Suzy Okoye
Two persons were on thursday reportedly killed – with several others seriously injured as motor park touts suspected to be the notorious war group known as Ndi Ukwu Aziza and Ndi Ukwuotosi clashed at Aba central motor park, Upper Iweka in the commercial city of Onitsha.
It was gathered that the bloody clash ensued when the two groups engaged each other in a fierce battle of wit – wielding different dangerous weapons including firearms over who controls the park.
During the ensuing battle, no fewer than 27 persons including travelers and drivers allegedly sustained various degrees of injuries when the two warring factions engaged each other in a deadly battle over who takes over the Aba central park.
Though the Police authority swiftly denied any casualty during the clash, our reporter who visited the scene shortly after the clash said over 27 persons mainly women and children who were suspected to be travelers and hawkers at the park sustained matchet cut wounds and other degrees of injuries from the rampaging urchins.
According to one of the victims who introduced himself as a loader at the park, Chinedu Anyigor from Ebonyi state disclosed that the incident occurred when a group of touts known as Ndi Ukwu Aziza allegedly recruited from Ogbaru Youths by the manager of the Aba Park, one Ifeanyi Okafor were relieved of the job following alleged illegal and criminal activities.
Anyigor narrates that Mr. Ifeanyi Okafor who was given the park by the state government to manage sought for the help of Ogbaru youths, who came into the park and described themselves as Ndi Ukwu Aziza.
He said, the group were in charge of collecting revenue from the park but when their activities became unbearable, they were asked to leave the park and another group, Ndi Ukwu Otosi entered in to take over the job, after much, the first group who were sacked stormed the park yesterday and started unleashing trouble on the people and in the process, they shot about two person dead.
Anyigor also disclosed that during the clash between Ndi Ukwu Aziza and Ndi Ukwu Otosi, property worth several millions of naira were lost, while calling on the security agencies and Anambra state government to intervene in the matter to restore law and order in the parks.
The Area Commander in Onitsha, Mr. Benjamin Wordu confirmed the incident and disclosed that the command immediately deployed team of policemen to restore peace and order in the commercial city of Onitsha and its environs and confirmed the arrest of some of the suspects.
