A joint security task force ordered to carry out investigation at scrap markets, which is famously known as panteka, in the FCT, has arrested 11 traders linked to the business from their main market, located in Dei-Dei area of the territory. The arrest, Abuja Metro learnt, was carried out after an invasion by the operatives against the facility where shop-to-shop searching was conducted on Thursday that lasted for about 3 hours.
FCNN gathered that facility sealed last Tuesday was still lock with locked padlockand, following the FCT minister’s directive to that effect along with other panteka markets within the territory that would last for two weeks from Tuesday. Some traders seen stranded at the market entrance told our reporter that a manhole cover and granting sheets were discovered during the searching exercise in one of the market shops.
“They arrested the shop’s owner in spite of his explanation that he imported the items from abroad, and left with him in the company of the 10 members of our union, one of the sources disclosed. It was further learnt that all the leaders along with the arrested shop owner have passed two nights in the command’s detention, before being released late Saturday, with exception of the shop owner in question,” they said.
The vice chairman of the traders, Ejike Franklin Okoro, had confirmed the development to our reporter when contacted over phone yesterday. He said the yet-to-be-released shop owner was challenged by the police to provide documents of the items’ transaction before he would be released.
