A Community Resistant/Militant group has emerged in Owerri Municipal, Imo State to fight Governor Rochas Okorocha and his goons who are working round the clock to move Owerri Main Market to Egbeada village in Mbaitoli Local Government.

In an email sent to The AMBASSADOR MAGAZINE a group known as Ikenegbu Brigade wrote: “For those who do not know, Ekeukwu Owere is our Ancestral Market and a National Monument. The Market and the surrounding Environment are not for sale neither is Owerri Municipal for sale. We wish to strongly warn those who are openly or secretly working or supporting Rochas Okorocha in his bid to remove or relocate Ekeukwu Owere Market to Egbeada or any other place that we will viciously come after them, their wives, children, relatives, collaborators. And, as long as the sky remains open those who are bent on destroying Owerri will have no hiding place. Imo state is not Rochas Okorocha’s estate”

Last week the Governor Rochas Okorocha sent an Executive Bill to Imo State House of Assembly to enact a law which he claims will enhance the status of Owerri Capital City. The Bill – Imo My Pride Law of 2016 and other Related Purposes was sent to the State Assembly through the Member representing Aboh-Mbaise, Chief Mike Iheanaetu.

The Bill “provides for the abolishing or the establishment of any form of Motor Park at any spot, less than four kilometres from the Government House of Imo State, all markets, as defined in this law, shall be sited at least, at a location four kilometres from the Government House of Imo State”.

A section of the Bill further prescribed that “it is an offence to erect shanty within the Owerri Capital Territory”, and defaulters shall be liable to three months imprisonment or N150,000 fine or both. And, failure to comply with the  directives of Imo State Government to renovate a dilapidated structure within Owerri Capital City, shall be an offence and if defaulted, such building shall be sealed by the State Government. All drainage shall be kept clean and made to allow free flow of drainage water at all times by all residents

The Bill a provides also for the constitution of a mobile court to be manned by a Magistrate and offender shall be prosecuted and if found guilty shall be shall be liable to six months imprisonment or a fine of N150,000 or both.

In the meantime, Owerri Indigenes have gotten a Court injunction stopping Governor Rochas Okorocha from relocating the market.