Civilians living in the Army Barracks, Onitsha have been ejected following renewed fears that the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram, may seize the opportunity of the civilians residing in the place to infiltrate the South-East.?
The ejection notice, which LEADERSHIP learnt was handed to the civilians who are mostly Hausa traders who trade in the mammy market over two weeks ago by the General Officer Commanding(GOC), was last night enforced.
A source who soughts anonymity, told our correspondent that the decision of the GOC was prompted by the infiltration of the army barracks by miscreants who now permanently reside in the barracks, from where they take off to other parts of the city to perpetuate evil.
The source said, “The GOC told the people that the mammy market is supposed to be a market where civilians come to transact business and leave at the close of market, not a place where they will permanently reside.
“The quit notice was handed over to them since two weeks, but they proved stubborn in leaving the place, I think that is the reason they have been forcefully marched out of the barracks.”
LEADERSHIP gathered that contrary to speculations being peddled that Hausa traders were targeted for ejection, every civilian who lives in the barrack and especially the mammy market, irrespective of their tribes is to obey the ejection notice.
It was gathered that the mammy market has become a den of robbers, with miscreants turning the place into a hemp smoking bunk, a development that has given the military a bad name in the city.
“In every robbery operation in Onitsha city, the military is fingered. That is because some of the boys who carry out these operations live in the barracks, even though they are not soldiers. Prostitutes have also turned the place into Sodom and Gomorrah,” the source added.