By Admin 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
DELTA: Tension erupted at the Ughelli/Ogor Modern Market in Delta State on Tuesday as angry youths from the Ogor community stormed the market, chasing traders and confronting the council chairman, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, over the alleged awarding of a toilet maintenance contract to an outsider.
The youths, who claim the contract should have been awarded to an indigene of the community, disrupted business activities, leaving traders fleeing for safety and abandoning their goods.
“We heard that the toilet maintenance job was given to someone from another local government, and that angered the Ogor youths. They believe such opportunities should go to locals,” a trader who requested anonymity explained.
The incident is the latest in a series of disputes linked to the market’s ownership and land royalty claims. Built during the tenure of former Governor James Ibori, the market has long been a source of contention between Ughelli and Ogor communities.
Chairman Egbo had recently announced plans to reallocate shops that had been closed for over six months, a decision that reportedly rekindled tensions. Ogor youths, citing their land rights, demanded priority in market-related contracts and opportunities.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as the youths stormed the market during the chairman’s visit to traders. “They chased everyone out, and the chairman had to call for security agents to calm the situation,” a trader said.
The council, however, maintains that its reallocation policy is aimed at revitalizing the market and boosting economic activities. A source from the Ogor community countered, “Our leaders were approached to negotiate, but we insisted that the toilet maintenance job must be awarded to an Ogor indigene.”
Normalcy was later restored after Ogor leaders intervened, urging the youths to embrace dialogue. They also appealed to the Delta State Government to step in and mediate the crisis.
“We are calling on the state government to resolve this matter once and for all. We want peace and development, but our rights must be respected,” a community leader emphasized.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the council chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Efe Ekete, for comments proved unsuccessful.
Residents now await government intervention to address the lingering communal disputes and restore harmony in the market, ensuring it fulfills its economic potential without further disruptions.