The timber marketers were seen protesting along Owerri-Orlu road when they discovered that the road leading to the market has been barricaded by soldiers.
Some of the protesting timber traders who spoke to newsmen in Orlu said they were demanding for the soldiers to open the roadblock for them to start their business.
According to them, “We came in on Tuesday morning, to start business and we saw that the road leading to our shops have been closed and we are asking why is our shops closed and nobody is talking to us and why should the military block the road. We want them to open the road so that we can begin our business that is why we are protesting.”
However, when Vanguard inquired to know from the timber traders they said: “On Monday, we got a report that those who attacked Omuma in Oru East local government area came from the Timber market, and are members of Eastern Security Network, ESN and that the security operatives have been investigating the issues.”
“We have also been told that it is because we obeyed the sit-at-home order on the day Nnamdi Kanu appeared in court that is why they have closed down the timber market.”
When contacted by the 34 Artillery Brigade Command Obinze, Army Public Relations Officer, PRO, Babatunde Zubiru, he did not pick his call to react to the allegation that Army shut down the market.
Credit: Vanguard News Nigeria