The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has given out N30 million to the onion and cattle traders who lost their goods to hoodlum attacks in the state last year.
Two trucks of onion and cattle heading for Owerri had been attacked by hoodlums who carted away all the items.
Presenting the money to the beneficiaries at the weekend, the National President of Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association, Aliyu Maitasamu Isa, said the sum of N10 million and N20 million were released to his members and cattle traders respectively.
Isa recalled that after the attack, they were invited by the governor who apologised and pledged to compensate the traders.
“And he redeemed the pledge at a very critical time because some of them have been out of business since then.
“But they now have a fresh air to breathe in and out. We thanked the Governor for fulfilling his promise; for serving humanity and for bringing peace to this country because there were different agitations at the time,” he said.
The national president who described the governor as a symbol of peace, further regretted that similar attacks were recorded on their members in Abia and Oyo states, but the governors did not do anything to pacify them.
“Our leaders should be seen promoting unity, peace and brotherhood because Nigerians belongs to all of us,” he said.
He reassured that his members would continue to supply onions to the South.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to reporters expressed gratitude to the Governor, describing him as one of his kind in the country.
