Anambra Governor Charles Soludo has threatened to revoke the ownership of markets and shops where traders refuse to open for business in compliance with the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Addressing reporters in Awka yesterday, he said under the Land Use Act, he had the right to revoke the ownership of shops, including private ones, in the public interest. He warned that, should the traders refuse to open the markets, he would not mind closing them for the rest of the year.
Soludo said: “We are not afraid of litigation. You bring your lawyers and we will bring our senior advocates. We have quite a number of them. “It is the property of the government of Anambra State and under the Land Use Act, even the private ones, I will revoke it and pay you compensation and that is what the law requires me to do.
“All these markets I will revoke them and take them over, and if you don’t like the compensation that I paid you, we meet in the law court. “My powers to take it over based on public interest is sacrosanct and give you a cheque for compensation.
“We are going to take attendance of those who opened their shops on Monday and we shall use the leadership of those lines at the market. “The shops that are not open, we mark them and either impose fines on them. I will seal those shops and take them over.
“The important thing is that this madness must end and we have endured this for over five years now.” The governor added: “All the markets were open, including on Sunday and Monday throughout the Christmas season and after the Christmas season.
