Cattle traders chase police, govt officials with AK-47 in Enugu

There was pandemonium in Enugu state on Thursday evening, April 22, as Hausa cattle traders at the New Artisan Market attacked government officials and policemen.

Trouble began when state government officials went to demolish the market following an order of the state high court.

This was made known by the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, in a statement via his various social media handles.

It was gathered that the court declared the market a security threat because of its proximity to the Government House.

Unfortunately, the execution was challenged by the traders, who brought out several AK-47 rifles and chased away the officials and security operatives.

Also, Sampson Okorie, an eyewitness noted that the gun-wielding Hausa traders seized two bulldozers the state government deployed to the market and destroyed a police vehicle.

The vehicle, according to him, was abandoned by the police, who ran for their lives when they could not escape with it.

The state commissioner of police, Mohammed Aliyu, who confirmed the attack on the officials described the action of the traders as unfortunate, adding that they had agreed to move out of the market after a meeting with Governor Ugwuanyi.