By BONIFACE AKARAH

The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has urged the Anambra State Government to immediately enforce its directive halting all activities at the disputed Ozomagana Building Materials Market in Onitsha and ensure compliance with existing court pronouncements, warning that continued violations could worsen the protracted property dispute.

According to a letter addressed to the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Mrs. Amaka Nnake, and jointly signed by Board Chair of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head of Democracy and Good Governance Department, Chinwe Umeche; Head of Campaign and Publicity Department, Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam; and Head of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law Department, Obianuju Joy Igboeli, the rights group commended the state government's intervention but insisted that it must be followed by decisive action. It urged the government to "immediately enforce the directive and court pronouncements pending the outcome of the expected speedy investigation," while ensuring "a favourable permanent and unbiased solution is found and enforced to the letter."

The organisation said its appeal was prompted by reports that the government's July 7, 2026 directive ordering the immediate cessation of demolition and construction activities at the market was allegedly being ignored.

According to Intersociety, the directive issued by the Commissioner for Commerce, Hon. Nonso Ebonwu, followed a petition by aggrieved traders alleging unlawful demolition of shops, unauthorised construction of new plazas, conversion of public market structures into private buildings and harassment of traders.

"Consequently, in the interest of justice, rule of law, and to prevent a total breakdown of peace and economic stability within the Onitsha commercial hub, this Ministry hereby orders and directs you to IMMEDIATELY STOP ALL DEMOLITIONS, structural alterations and further construction works," the Ministry's directive, quoted in the letter, stated.

The organisation traced the dispute to a 50-year lease agreement reportedly executed in December 2023 between Modebe Enterprises Limited and the Ozomagana Building Materials Market Association over 10 buildings located along Modebe Avenue, Onitsha.

It explained that while the agreement allegedly permitted the reconstruction of the existing buildings and the addition of new structures, disagreements over its implementation had resulted in conflicting claims, litigation and growing tension within the market.

Intersociety alleged that the crisis had since escalated beyond a civil dispute.

"Poor handling of the issue has led to denials and counter-denials associated with the lease agreement and its implementation, to the extent that criminalization and harvest of extortion have been brought into it and escalated," the organisation claimed.

The rights group further alleged that the matter had become "a conduit pipe and extortion racketeering" involving officers attached to the Inspector-General of Police's Special Investigation Unit, leading to repeated arrests and detention of some market leaders despite describing the dispute as essentially civil in nature.

It cited the arrests of former market chairman, Obiora Okoro, Ikechukwu Aneke and Chigozie Ejiofor, among others, alleging that they had been subjected to repeated police invitations, detention and intimidation since November 2025.

According to the organisation, recent reports also indicated that construction activities allegedly resumed at the disputed market despite the state's stop-work order and existing court pronouncements.

"Video clips shared by concerned traders of the Market showed tipper lorries heaping trips of sands and stones on the site for resumption of works in defiance of the order of the State Government and recent court pronouncements," the letter stated.

Intersociety urged the state government to immediately halt the alleged violations and ensure strict compliance with both its administrative directive and judicial orders.

Beyond enforcing the existing directive, the organisation also called on the Anambra State Executive Council to ensure the speedy conclusion of the Ministry of Commerce's investigation or, where necessary, upgrade it into a full-fledged commission of inquiry.

"The Government of Anambra State... is further called upon to follow up with the ongoing investigation... by ensuring speedy conclusion and enforcement of investigative findings; or its adoption as preliminary findings for setting up or inauguration of a substantive Panel or Commission of Enquiry to wholly look into the entire crisis and other issues," the organisation stated.

The allegations contained in the letter have not been independently verified by *NewsExpress*. At the time of filing this report, there was no immediate response from the Anambra State Government, Modebe Enterprises Limited or the leadership of the Ozomagana Building Materials Market Association.