By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

Nnewi—A trader escaped death following a crisis that erupted at the Onitsha Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Union, OPPMDU, following the alleged instruction by the chairman of the union to beat up and detain any trader perceived to be against his administration in any cell of the market.

File photo: Angry protesters at Onitsha

Trouble started, Friday  when one Mr. Chizoba Ezeokoye was allegedly sharing circulars which suggested that a meeting was being summoned to protest the N20,000 levy allegedly imposed by the Chairman of the union Mr. Uche Eze on the traders.

However, what would have resulted to a bloody bath between members of the executive of the market and the traders who were against the levy and the beating of one of them by the task-force of the market was averted by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Fegge Division, Mr. Rabiu

Garba who went with his men to the market and dispersed the aggrieved crowd spoiling for war and later invited the parties to his office for interrogation.

Addressing newsmen, former Secretary General of OPPMDU and Chairman of Abuja Foundation Line in the market, Mr. Chibuzor Nwokeji said the problem actually started because of the trader’s rejection of the levy and the action of the task force men on the boy who was distributing the circular for the meeting.