By Okey Obiozo
According to our findings, on Thursday September 3, traders under the aegis of the Onitsha Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Union (OPPMDU) had a violent disagreement.
The pandemonium allegedly started when the chairman of the union, Mr Uche Eze decided to impose a 20,000 naira union levy on its members. This move did sit well with some the members, culminating into a protest purportedly led by one Mr Chizoba Ezeokoye who circulated a notice for a meeting on the matter. According to reports, in this process Mr. Ezeokoye was beaten up by the task force loyal to the chairman.
Mr Chibuzor Nwokeji, a key member of the market confirmed the incident “My secretary informed me that there was a crowd around my line, when I came to the scene, I discovered that a lot of people were arguing with the members of the EXCO and the task force who were trying to force a boy to follow them to the office of the chairman.”
It took the intervention of officers of the Fegge police station and a few other leaders of the market who got the disagreeing factions to meet. It is not yet announced what the decision of the union is on the levy.
Photo credit (pharmanews and nigerianewsservice.com)
