As aftermath of Mechanic Village mayhem, Uyo Local Government has set a nine-member committee to investigate the root causes of the fracas with a view to forestalling future occurrence.
Speaking with Straightnews on Tuesday, Ekanem Ekanem, the Chairman of Mechanic Village Management Committee said the committee was set up and inaugurated by the council during a meeting with Mechanic Village management committee.
He stated that the committee had visited the scene of the incident to ascertain the extent of damage done during the fracas last Friday.
Already, the Mechanic village remains shut after the incident that led to damage of some shops and loss of goods worth millions of Naira as well as inflicted injuries on some people.
This was as the Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State ordered the closure of the vehicles spare part market popularly called Mechanic Village, Afaha Offot community, over a clash between the Igbos and the local dealers.
This was contained in a statement by the Council Secretary, Ubong Udofia, titled ‘Uyo Local Government Shuts Mechanic Village of Crisis’ made available to newsmen in Uyo on Friday.
The statement read in part, “Following the crisis that ensued today, Friday, September 30, 2022 at the Mechanic Village, Afaha Offot in Uyo Local Government Area, the Management of Uyo Local Government Council has ordered the closure of the facility indefinitely.
“This decision of Council is to forestall further break down of law and order within the area.
“The Council Chairman, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo, has directed security officials to continue to maintain adequate security around the facility and the entire area until investigations are completed and normalcy returns.”
Some versions are advanced as the causes of the fracas.
An auto mechanic at the market, Wisdom Effiong, told our correspondent that trouble started when “an indigene arrived, opened his shop and swept the environment before arranging his wares.”
“It was when he gathered the heap of wastes and tried to burn it a short distance from his shop that an Igbo trader confronted him and ordered that he should not burn the wastes near his shop,” he narrated.
Wisdom added that the ensuing argument led to a fierce encounter between the duo, and eventually degenerated into a crisis between the Igbos and the indigenous Akwa Ibom spare parts dealers.
Corroborating the story, Akaninyene Bassey narrated, “The Igbo man had used sharp object to pierce the Akwa Ibom man in the eyes, forcing angry reaction from the indigenes, who demanded that the culprit, who escaped after the incident, be brought out to be handed over to the Police.
“It was when the person could not be produced that the fierce argument degenerated into a free for all, with some shops looted before a combined team of Army and the Police was drafted in to restore calm and the market shut down indefinitely.”
An anonymous said “This morning, an Igbo trader was burning refuse by the side of his shop. His neighbour from Akwa Ibom at the market asked him why he was burning the items. And he responded that it was none of his business. This led to argument between the two and later to a fight. The neighbour hit him on his head.
‘‘The Igbo guy retaliated by giving him a blow on his face which hit his eye and it broke. The neighbour went and mobilized his friends who went on rampage. They began destroying shops of Igbo traders. They also went round the market beating and wounding any Igbo trader in sight.’’
