Tension Grips Onitsha as Authorities Attempt to Relocate TV Technicians

By Ckuks Eke

Palpable tension gripped the commercial city of Onitsha on Tuesday as a joint police and OCHA Brigade force attempted to enforce a relocation order on Radio and Television Technicians operating in the popular Iweka Road Street Trading area.

The operation, led by the second-in-command of the Onitsha Police Area Command and the Onitsha Zonal leader of OCHA Brigade, arrived at Iweka Road late afternoon and demanded the technicians close their shops and relocate to a new market at Harbor Estate, an outskirt of Onitsha.

However, the intervention of Chief Sabastine Ebilite, Chairman of the Technicians, defused the situation. Ebilite presented the team with an ex-parte motion obtained on August 15th from an Awka High Court, presided over by Justice D.C. Maduechesi, preventing the relocation. Faced with the legal order, the authorities retreated.

Ebilite explained that the Electronics Dealers Association, who shared the Iweka Road space with the technicians, had previously built a new market at Harbor Estate.

Rather than simply relocating themselves, they were now attempting to force the technicians to join them, despite the two groups being separate entities with no joint ownership of the new market.

Ebilite stated that the technicians had not contributed to the purchase of the land at Harbor Estate and had no shops there.

He further revealed that a previous attempt to forcibly relocate the technicians had been resolved in their favor following intervention from the state government and ASMATA (Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association).

He expressed bewilderment at the Electronics Dealers’ decision to revive the issue months after the matter was settled.

Responding to the situation, Chief Eric Uwaoma, Chairman of ASMATA’s Conflict Resolution Committee, confirmed that his committee had previously resolved the issue, recommending the technicians remain at Iweka Road. He revealed, however, that the technicians had failed to visit the Traders House to finalize the resolution.

Uwaoma urged Ebilite and his executive to visit his committee as soon as possible to address the current tension and ensure a peaceful resolution.

The incident highlights the simmering tensions between different trader associations within Onitsha, emphasising the need for effective communication and conflict resolution to ensure a harmonious business environment.