The Traders Welfare Union of Nigeria held a protest on Wednesday against their leader, Madam Blacky Ogiamen, accusing her of corruption related to N100 million allocated by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole in 2013 to support vulnerable people and market women in Edo State.
Led by Union President Comrade Lucky Orukpe, the traders presented a petition at the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), calling for an investigation into the allegations. Orukpe claimed that a similar petition was submitted in 2013 but was ignored by the EFCC.
“No market woman from Edo North received a kobo. We only found one woman from Edo South who claimed she was given ₦50,000. This is a grave injustice,” Orukpe stated. He highlighted that since the N100 million was allocated to market women across three senatorial districts in 18 local government areas, no beneficiaries had emerged from Edo North, and only one woman from Edo Central reported receiving ₦50,000 from Ogiamen.
The traders demanded prompt action from the EFCC, giving them a seven-day ultimatum to address their petition, warning of a planned protest in Abuja if there was no response. EFCC spokesperson Mr. Williams Osaghae assured them that the Commission would address the petition appropriately.
In response to the allegations, Madam Ogiamen denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the claims as politically motivated. She stated that the funds were deposited into the association’s account and properly disbursed. Ogiamen further asserted that Orukpe was not a member of their association and suggested that the unrest was related to political affiliations, noting that the traders were supportive of the current administration under Governor Obaseki.