Chukwuma Soludo, the Anambra State governor, has called on traders and business people in the state to insure their businesses against emergencies.
Soludo stated this on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, through his Deputy, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who represented him at the scene of the fire incident on Kano Street, beside Main Market, Onitsha.
The governor said the visit was to physically assess the extent of damage done with a view to proferring preventive solutions in the future.
While sympathising with the victims of the disaster, he thanked God that no life was lost, stating that a meeting between the state government and market leaders would be convened to seek for permanent solution.
He expressed his concern over security of lives and property of the traders and called for the enactment of policies that would help prevent fire outbreak in the future.
He said, “If it means every trader at Main Market to have fire extinguishers in their shops, we will put it as a law and enforce compliance. Immediate emergency training must be conducted.
“How many traders have insurance? I have always asked this question. Insurance helps to cushion effect of this nature.
“This is the kind of structure we want to lay and we will get there. We will expose you to all these insights because this is what the government has come to do.”
He, however, regretted that such unfortunate fire mishap had sadly become an annual occurrence in the state and expressed optimism that such would not reoccur, especially during the festive season.
The governor lamented the existence of illegal structures at marketplaces which he said usually led to lack of emergency exit.
On their part, some market leaders complained that the state fire service at the Main Market was not functional and pleaded with the state government to come to their aid.
The Commissioner for Power and Water Resources, Mr Julius Chukwuemeka, his Special Duties counterpart, Mr Sly Ezeokenwa, accompanied the deputy governor on the inspection tour as directed by the governor.
Anambra: Man Arrested After Digging Grave, Attempting To Slit Throat Of Girlfriend
A man, simply identified as Nonso has been remanded for allegedly attempting to cut the throat of a 25-year-old woman in Umuona village, Isuofia, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The suspect was said to have dug a 4-feet grave at the back of his compound to bury the victim (said to be his lover) with her two kids, a 5-year-old son, and 3-year old daughter, but with different fathers.
The victim, Uchendu Uchechukwu, who claimed to be an orphan and fourth child to a family of eight, said she had been fending for herself after her parents’ demise forced her to drop out of school at SS2.
She said, “I do menial jobs like picking palm fruits and make between N500 to N700 daily to feed myself and the two kids.
“In 2021, I met Nonso, a young man who claimed to be a native doctor. He promised to marry me. That was why he was frequenting my house in the last one year.
“On that fateful day, he called me to come around with my children for a surprise package. Without any suspicion, I accepted the offer and he asked his friend to convey us on his motorcycle.
“On arrival, he asked me to close my eyes while he tied my face with a white handkerchief in anticipation of a surprise package. He used sharp knife to slit my throat, forcing me to struggle for survival.
“Immediately, he dragged me to the already dug grave, pushed me in, using a big stone to force me to remain there while he went to bring shovel to bury me with the kids alive.
“It was at that point that I started shouting for help which attracted his elder sister, who had already gone to bed to run out, and she called other people to rescue me.”
The Nation gathered on Saturday, November 26, 2022, that the suspect was immediately apprehended by the mob who stripped and paraded him before handing him over to security agents, while his accomplice who rode the motorcycle escaped.
Uchechukwu called on security operatives to assist her in ensuring that justice is served in the matter.
“I call on government and security agents to ensure justice is done. I’m ready to return to my nylon-producing business if I can be assisted in repairing the damaged machines,” she said.
When the matter was called up at the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, sitting in Awka and presided over by Magistrate Genevieve Osakwe, the suspect was remanded in prison custody for attempted murder.
