Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has reportedly promised to pay N2 million each as compensation to families of cattle traders who were killed at new cattle market in Omumauzor community of Ukwa west LGA in Abia, on February 15.
Yahuza Yusuf, acting national president of the Cattle Dealers Association of Nigeria disclosed this after a delegation of the Abia state government led by Kalu Ogbu, the monarch of Abiriba kingdom, visited Gombe to commiserate with the state government and the people of the state over the killing on Monday February 28.
Yusuf who spoke during the meeting, said Ikpeazu has paid N150,000 per head of the cattle lost with the promise to pay N2 million as compensation to the families of the deceased traders.
Jack Tasha, a media aide of Manassah Daniel Jatau, deputy governor of the state who received the delegation at Gombe International hotel, quoted Yusuf as saying;
“He said, the governor had cushioned the effect of the loss by paying 150,000( one hundred and fifty thousand naira only) per head of a cattle and has promised 2,000,000( Two Million naira only) to families of the deceased”
Abia monarch, Ogbu on his own part said the state governor expressed displeasure over the “unfortunate” attack on the cattle traders. He also said that Governor Ikpeazu has vowed to fish out the perpetrators and has also allocated a new place as a cattle market with an assurance of 24-hour security service to facilitate the smooth operation of cattle dealers in Abia.
Deputy Governor of Gombe Manassah Daniel Jatau commended Governor Ikpeazu for taking a bold step to sympathise with the state in a bid to cement the good relationship between the north and the south.
Jatau bemoaned the erosion of the African value of brotherliness, adding that the country needs to get it right on its cultural values.
