The multiple duplexes that sprang up at the former site of the relocated Umuahia Central Market have been razed by the Abia State Government through the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), turning multimillion naira property investment into rubbles.
The demolition exercise was announced Monday August 11, 2025 in a statement issued by the General Manager of UCDA, Mr. Kingsley Agomoh. He said that it was done in “line with the Abia State Government’s vision to transform Umuahia into a modern city and befitting capital”.
According to him, the residential structures erected within the premises of the former Umuahia main market (a.k.a Ogwumabiri Ibeku) were “built without government approval”, hence the UCDA had to level the unauthorised residential buildings.
The market was demolished in October 2013 after 78 years of existence, and was relocated to Ubani Ibeku, following the decision of the Theodore Orji administration to decongest and expand the state capital. The vacated land space was later allocated to an Abia-born property developer.
The UCDA GM acknowledged that former market space was allocated to a private investor “by the previous government for the purpose of building an Event Centre on a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) basis”.
“However, the investor unilaterally repurposed the space and started developing residential duplexes and apartments, contrary to the government’s planned purpose for the space,” he said.
Agomoh: Government committed to transformation of Umuahia.
The UCDA GM said that before the demolition and in line with its ethos of being “a responsible and business friendly administration, the Government has been engaging the investor for the past one year and has offered a negotiated ex-gratia settlement to the investor.
He made it clear that the present Government “has taken over the space to repurpose it as part of a modern transportation hub, integrating the bus terminal, train station, and intercity shuttles connection point”.
According to him, the structures demolished by UCDA “were deemed unfit for the established purpose of overriding public interest”.
Agomoh stated that the agency “is committed to ensuring that the new transportation hub enhances the city’s infrastructure, promotes efficient mobility, and contributes to the overall economic growth of Umuahia as a modern capital city”.
He insisted that Government would not waver “in its commitment to transforming Umuahia into a world-class city”, adding that building an integrated transportation hub at the city centre “is a significant step towards achieving that goal”.
“The development of an integrated transportation hub is expected to bring numerous benefits to the citizens of Abia State, including improved traffic management, enhanced safety, and increased economic opportunities,” Agomoh said.
