By Izunna Okafor, Onitsha
A man, identified as Ikenna Okafor, has been reportedly arrested for attempting to set another mega market in Anambra State on fire.
This is coming few hours after which the popular Abada Line of the Onitsha Main Market was gutted by early morning fire that left shops and goods worth millions of naịra destroyed in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to reports, the suspected arsonist, Mr. Okafor was arrested on Monday at the Mgbuka Obosi Old Motor Spareparts Market in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, by the security operatives in the market.
It was gathered that he sneaked into the market at about 3:30am and set one of the shops on fire, to escalate to other shops, while he attempted to escape the area. He was, however, pursed and captured by the security agents who discovered the flames oozing out from the market and immediately rushed to the scene.
The security agents were said to have handed the suspect over to the market leadership after he had severally pleaded to pay his way out, which they turned down.
Speaking on the incident, the Chairman of the Market Union, Chief Samuel Ifulunwa, described the act as wicked, and revealed that a section of the shop set ablaze by the suspect and the goods therein were already razed by fire before the security agents put off the fire.
The Chairman was quoted as saying: “This is wicked act, and I had to call the PG of the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association (ASMATA), Chief Humphrey Anuna, for necessary action, and he came immediately.
“We have interviewed the man to know why he did that, and he told us that there was a time they stole his goods and nobody agreed to have stolen the goods, which prompted him to consult a native doctor who gave him charm that he would use to set the market ablaze in retaliation.
“When the news of the incident filtered into the ears of the traders, they rushed to the market and were about to set him ablaze alive, but the PG and I pleaded that we should not take the law into our hands.”
It was gathered that the Market leadership unanimously agreed to hand over the suspect to the police for further necessary actions.
