The Government of Abia State has declared the details of the 70 corpses recovered in the forest around the Lokpanta Cattle Market in the Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state are with security agencies.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that the Governor of the State, Alex Otti, had during the second edition of his monthly media chat in Umuahia last Sunday, disclosed that security agents uncovered 70 decomposing corpses and numerous skeletons during a raid of the forest around the cattle market.
In order to protect people’s lives, the governor clarified, his administration decided to change the market from a weekly to a daily market.
The leaders of the northern group at the market, however, claimed they were unaware of the finding of the aforementioned corpses and that they perceived the governor’s action as a ruse to drive them out.
But speaking with our correspondent on where the corpses were taken after evacuation from the forest, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kazie Uko, said details of the recovered corpses are with security agents, adding that they would be disclosed after the conclusion of investigations.
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Uko said, ‘What he (Otti) said was based on the report given to him by the security men.
‘It is the security men who will tell where the corpses are. It is a security matter and they didn’t package them to come and give to the governor.
‘The people did their operations and they reported to the governor their findings. It is a security matter.’
On whether the corpses would be given a mass burial or displayed for possible identification by relations, the CPS said, “By the time the security agencies finish their investigation, they will know what they want to do.”
Meanwhile, when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Maureen Chinaka declined comments on the matter.