A clash between traders at the Umuahia timber market and Abia State Internal Revenue officials has resulted in the dead one person while five persons sustained several degrees of injuries.
The office of the Abia vigilante group popularly called Bakassi and the group’s operational vehicles were also burnt in the clash.
Eyewitnesses said trouble started at Umuahia Timber market along Ahiaeke road over a disagreement between the marketers and the Abia state internal revenue board who imposed an annual fee of N18,000 on the traders.
The witnesses said the state revenue board ordered the marketers to close down their shops from Monday since as they refused to pay the fee which the traders lamented was exorbitant.
However, the Abia state vigilante popularly known as Bakassi came to the market to effect the order of the revenue board which resulted in a clash.
It was gathered that the vigilante members shot one of the traders popularly known as ‘Indomie’ dead, while 5 others were injured.
The marketers retaliated, raiding the office of the vigilante which was burnt down, including some of the operational vehicles.
DSP Godfrey Ogbonna, the public relations officer of Abia State Police Command confirmed the development.
He added that calm has been restored to the area.
