A former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Imo State Council, Ben Osuagwu, has accused the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma of overlooking individuals involved in criminal activities within the Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO).
Osuagwu alleged that some ENTRACO operatives had turned their official duties into opportunities for extortion and looting, targeting vulnerable citizens such as widows and small traders under the guise of enforcing environmental sanitation.
In a statement made available to South-East Punch on Tuesday, Osuagwu called on the state government to take immediate action by arresting and prosecuting those responsible for the recent looting at the Toronto Market in Owerri. He claimed that ENTRACO officials broke into shops and stalls during a cleanup exercise and carted away food items, handsets, money, and household goods belonging to struggling traders.
He urged the government to compel the culprits to return the stolen items to their owners within 24 hours, insisting that such acts of lawlessness could not be justified under any circumstance. Osuagwu said it was unacceptable for government-backed personnel to use state authority as cover to terrorize poor residents and destroy livelihoods.
According to him, the looting incident at the Toronto Market was not an isolated case but part of a wider pattern of similar occurrences across Owerri and nearby markets, which now require urgent government intervention.
Osuagwu maintained that even if the traders were operating in unauthorized areas, due process should be followed rather than resorting to theft and destruction of property.
When contacted for reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the Imo State Governor, Oguwuike Nwachukwu, declined to comment on the matter, stating that he would not interfere in government affairs related to the allegations.