By Chinenyeh Ozor
Uneasy calm enveloped Nsukka timber market, Enugu state weekend as unknown thugs allegedly invaded the market with guns and other weapons extorting several amounts of money in the name of Nsukka local government council.
Traders in the market numbering over 200 registered members expressed bitterness, worry over alleged imposition and extortion of money from it’s members on daily basis.
They also allege threat to life for failure to pay the outrageous amounts to the local government council.
The timber dealers in the university town of Nsukka, Enugu state took to the streets, chanting sorrowful solidarity songs with placards demanding abolishment of the eight man caretaker committee instituted by Nsukka local government council chairman Engr. Chinedu Asogwa which has disturbed the existing peace in the market.
Speaking with journalists at the timber market, the chairman timber dealers association Chief Eze Ugochukwu said that Nsukka local chairman dissolved the elected executives of the timber market and imposed an eight man committee to oversee the affairs and activities of the market.
Chief Ugochukwu expressed dismay over the unannounced dissolution of the executives of the market, explaining that the market has been in peace over the years without any issues with the local government council.
“We never reneged in payment of taxes to both state and local government council. The chairman had earlier commended us for being in peace unlike other markets in the locality, only to turn around and dissolve the executives of the timber dealers association and placed his kinsmen as caretaker committee.
“We were at the verge of holding a peaceful election of the market slated for November 2024 when he struck and dissolved executives without any clear reasons. We have been in peace unlike other markets.
“We have tried to manage the situation in the market but the caretaker committee engage in extortion, threat to life for non compliance of illegal taxes in the name of Nsukka local government council to enrich themselves, collecting between N10,000 to N50,000 on daily basis per a trader.
“The caretaker committee harras, intimate traders with gun in other to extort money from members. We don’t know where they came from, they keep boasting that they are carrying the order of the local government council chairman” he noted
“We appeal to Enugu state governor Dr Peter Mbah to intervene and call Nsukka local government council chairman to order, allow the existing peace in the market to prevail and disband the caretaker committee. Most of our members no longer sleep in their homes due to threats to life. Since february 2025 the committee was imposed on us, we have not known peace, chasing traders with gun daily in other to extort money.
“We have resolved to take legal action since the council chairman keep deaf ears to our constitutional rights to peaceful market election and remove the caretaker committee imposed on the market which was the basis of the protest.
Also speaking Mr. Ugwuada Chukwuma said that the committee forcefully seal shops demanding unknown payment of N50,000 and above, pointing that the committee seized woods, carted away planks unless one pay N60,000 which is strange since the history of the market.
“I have been on the run since yesterday as they threaten my life and even called my family to ask me to comply or face the wrath of the local government council .
“We have never disagreed with the local and state governments on taxes, the institution and imposition of caretaker committee is strange and unheard of in the market. We pay taxes to Enugu state board of internal revenue and not to committee and groups that extort money to enrich themselves.”
