BIGPENNGR understands that the chairman, identified as Mr. Cletus Ojoro, is currently battling for life in an undisclosed hospital as the thugs led to the market by a faction in the market, were said to have beat him up mercilessly.
Trouble started on Monday when a faction led by one of the contender to the chairmanship position mobilised thugs and some of his supporters to the market in a bid to overthrow the incumbent executive of the market.
Witnesses said that pandemonium had on Monday broke out in the popular market located along the Warri-Sapele-Benin as two factions battling over the headship of the market engaged in a fistcuff.
The development it was learnt prompted the closure of the market by the Uvwie Local Government chairman, Hon. Ramson Onoyake.
It was gathered that violence erupted Monday during which the chairman of the spare parts market, Mr. Cletus Ojoro was severely beaten to pulp by supporters of the other faction.
It was learnt that one of contender to the position of the chairman.of the market had led thugs with dangerous weapons into the market in an attempt to overthrow the sitting chairman.
Witness said; “They wanted to overthrow the sitting chairman. The other faction led thugs and some boys whom we know in the market to attack the chairman. He was beaten to a state of coma.The man was seriously messed up, they even naked him, torn all his cloth and beaten to a point of death.
“The one who led the thugs is contesting for the chairmanship but the constitution of the market actually forbids him from contest because he is not qualified. The constitution says you must have spent ten years in the market to be eligible for position but he went to court and the matter has been in court for the past two years now.
“Based on the prolonged legal battle, no election has been held since then so he now formed a faction for himself. The locally council chairman decided that the current chairman should remain in office pending when the court decide but the other group too laws into their hand and mobilised thugs into the market.
“They laid ambushed for the chairman unknowing to all of us. As soon the man drove in they accosted him and started beating him. Everyone ran for his dear life because they came with dangerous weapons. We have to run first because they were seriously armed.
“The other faction is led by Ibo people too. The current chairman is from Delta North. We know each other here. As we are talking they are started picking the boys one after the one. They have also locked their stores”, the source said.
It was gathered that the deployment of soldiers to the scene by the vice chairman of the market saved the day as the thugs were said to have gone berserk attacking perceived supporters of the chairman.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the market to forestall further violence.
