GUARANTEE OUR SAFETY, ONION PRODUCERS BEG SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS

Reporter : CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has reassured northerners living and doing businesses in the south east of adequate protection of lives and property.

He gave the assurance when members of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, NOPPMAN visited him at the Government House Owerri.

Governor Uzodimma, who expressed worry about the strike embarked on by the association, said the government would find ways of compensating some members who suffered losses during the period of security challenges in the state.

He noted that the unity of the nation was non-negotiable and urged the northern community in the south east to assist in exposing killer herdsmen in the zone.

Earlier, the President of National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Comrade Aliyu Isah, pointed out that his members had suffered huge losses arising from attacks in Imo, Abia and Oyo states.

He appealed to Governor Hope Uzodimma to reach out to other south east governors to guarantee their safety and solicited compensation, especially from the attack at Mbaise in Imo State last month where two trucks loaded with onions worth over thirteen million naira were hijacked and looted.

The meeting, which was at the instance of Governor Uzodimma, was also attended by the Sarkin Hausawa of Imo State, Alhaji Auwal Suleiman, and the representatives of Livestock Traders Association in the state.