Tension gripped Onitsha on Tuesday, as officials of the state task force known as Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra Brigade (OCHA) opened fire on traders at Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State, killing a woman while some others sustained injuries.
OCHA Brigade is the state-run task force tasked with the responsibility of ensuring a clean environment in the state.
Officials of the agency usually clear illegal structures, confiscate goods which obstruct roads, particularly around markets.
The recent incident occurred at about 10 a.m. near Emeka Plaza Axis of the market.
Witnesses said the enforcement officials opened fire on some traders when the traders resisted their attempt to confiscate their wares.
One of the witnesses, Ifeanyi Emmanuel, told Premium Times that the operatives shot at traders at close range.
“They have been troubling a lot of business owners who block the roads. Not just today.
“So, today some people tried to resist them (from confiscating their wares). The operatives now opened fire directly at the people,” Mr Emmanuel, a truck driver in the market, narrated in Igbo language.
The witness said that immediately after the incident, an angry mob protested against the operatives who fled the scene.
He said the mob set ablaze a Toyota Hilux truck belonging to the operatives before proceeding to one of their offices at Iboku Street near the market where they reportedly retrieved confiscated wares.
“Both the members of Ocha Brigade who carried out the shooting and those at their office in Iboku Street fled upon sighting the surging crowd,” he said.
Save for sticks and machetes, the task force officials do not bear arms.
However, Premium Times gathered that some armed operatives of Agunechemba Vigilante Group usually accompany the task force during their operations.
When contacted on Tuesday evening, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident.
Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, in a statement later forwarded to Premium Times claimed only one person has been confirmed dead out of seven who were shot by the operatives.
He said the operatives engaged in an altercation with some traders resulting in the shooting of the traders.
The police spokesperson identified the traders shot by the operatives as Ebuka Orakwe, Orum Oluebube, and Anthony Kosisochukwu – all males- and two yet-to-be-identified victims.
Ifeoma Ezema and Chinwe Igwe were the only females among those shot by the operatives.
“Regrettably, one of the victims, Miss Chinwe Igwe, was confirmed dead on arrival. Her body has been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy and preservation.
“The other victims are currently receiving treatment and are responding positively,” Mr Ikenga said.
He said upon receipt of a report about the incident, the police authorities in the state deployed tactical teams and others in the area led by the deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations.
The spokesperson said the area commander in Onitsha, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Onitsha Main Market, and the commander of the Anti-Cultism Squad of the police were part of the teams deployed in the crime scene.
Mr Ikenga said the police in Anambra State have extended an invitation to the management of the Ocha Brigade team to identify the suspects for prosecution.
He added that normalcy has been restored in the area and that security operatives had intensified patrols and monitoring to ensure peace.
