By Chuks Eke
Palpable tension heightened within the premises of Emordi Shoe Dealers Association, ESDA, Ochanja Market, Onitsha, Anambra state as Chairman of the association, Hon. Okwudili Anigbogu narrowly escaped death from the hands of those opposing his continued leadership of the market.
Consequent upon the physical attack, during which his shops were equally broken into with cash looted Hon. Anigbogu lost his consciousness and was rushed to Menax Hospital, Onitsha for urgent medical attention where he is currently recuperating.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Anigbogu accused Chief Nwabueze Umeh, a one-time Chairman of the association of masterminding the attack as according to him Umeh had earlier facilitated the abrupt termination of his leadership tenure and appointment of his cronies as caretaker committee by the Special Adviser, SPAD to Governor Soludo on Markets, in collaboration with Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA.
He alleged that it was on the basis of trying to terminate his election tenure midway by constituting an illegal caretaker committee loyal to Umeh, in collaboration with SPAD and ASMATA, to the detriment of Onitsha South Local Government Authority which supervised the transparent and credible election that brought in his executive in November, 2025 that led to his brutal attack on Tuesday, December 22.
He claimed that while on his way to the hospital shortly after the attack on him, the attackers led by Umeh himself went straight to his three shops, broke into them and looted cash and goods worth millions of naira.
Specifically, he alleged that attackers looted 85,000 US Dollars and N10 million cash from the first shop, N8 million cash from the second shop and N6.150 million from the third shop, adding that 3750 pairs of shoes worth between N46,000 and N55,000 were looted from his shops.
He said he and his executive are already in court claiming the sum of N50 million from Umeh and the caretaker Committee members illegally constituted by SPAD and ASMATA
He recalled that in the N50 million Suit. No.0/390/2025, filed on their behalf by their legal counsel, Chief Ugo Ugwunnadi, they are also seeking an order of the court to set aside the purported appointment of the caretaker Committee by Anambra state government to run the affairs of registered trustees of the market, adding that the appointment is ultra vires and against the provisions of Company and Allied Matters Act, CAMA.
Reacting to the development, Secretary to Onitsha South Local Government Council, Hon. Paul Onuachalla told newsmen on phone that the council duly supervised the election that brought Anigbogu and his executive into office, adding however that all matters concerning the market are now within the powers of the state government.
President of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna who confirmed to newsmen on phone that a caretaker Committee was constituted in the market, said he does not know what Anigbogu actually wanted again, having been replaced by a caretaker Committee.
When contacted for his reaction, Chief Nwabueze Umeh (Ofiafuluego) denied all allegations levelled against him by Anigbogu. He said instead that it was Anigbogu that came to attack him in his own office but those who were at the scene decided to retaliate and pay him in his own coin.
“Let him go and settle any issue he has with government and not me because government has constituted a caretaker committee in the market” he said.
