Ariaria Traders Reject Developer’s Remodeling Claims, Declare Support for Governor Otti

Executives and members of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Ariaria Chapter, on Thursday staged a peaceful demonstration at the Aba North Local Government Council Headquarters, Eziama-Aba, to protest alleged threats posed by a developer to their market space.

The traders, numbering in their hundreds, carried placards and voiced strong opposition to the Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Kingsley Chibueze Nwokocha, and a developer identified as Chiedozie Njoku of CHECKBEST International Limited.

Presenting a communiqué to the Aba North Council Chairman, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke, the traders reaffirmed their confidence in Governor Alex Otti, describing him as Nigeria’s most trader-friendly governor. They lauded his pro-trader policies, particularly his attention to the welfare of Ariaria International Market.

The traders rejected CHECKBEST’s alleged claims of securing approval to remodel large sections of Ariaria Market, covering more than 10,000 shops. They dismissed the company’s reported promise of providing only 400 inverter-equipped shops for displaced traders as false and deceptive.

According to the traders, the developer neither consulted genuine shop owners nor carried out proper stakeholder engagements, instead working with paid agents lacking legitimate stakes in the market. They further accused CHECKBEST of fraudulently selling over 4,000 forms for non-existent shops, warning that such practices could fuel insecurity and destroy livelihoods.

While pledging their support for Governor Otti’s vision, the traders proposed a government-supervised, trader-led remodeling plan, executed in blocks with approved prototypes. They offered to pay the state at least ₦500,000 per shop after remodeling—an initiative they said would generate billions in revenue without displacing current occupants.

The NANTS Ariaria Chapter cautioned against repeating the failures of past developer-led schemes, such as the A-Line project by Blessed Henken, which left many traders displaced and lives lost. Led by Chairman Chief Nnaoma Okafor (Across), they urged Governor Otti to resist attempts by developers and government officials seeking personal gain, warning that such moves could undermine his popularity among traders.

In response, Aba North Council Chairman Hon. Timothy Iheke praised the traders for their peaceful conduct and assured them that their grievances and resolutions would be conveyed to Governor Otti for due consideration.