Sh*ck In Anambra As Brigade Operatives Nabbed For Pregnant Woman, Traders’ Deaths

Operatives of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State, popularly known as OCHA Brigade, have been arrested following a shooting incident in Onitsha that left a pregnant woman and four others dead.

gathered that the operatives were on an enforcement mission near Emeka Offor Plaza at the Main Market, Onitsha, on Tuesday when a confrontation broke out between them and traders. The altercation escalated, leading to gunfire that triggered chaos in the busy market.

Confirming the development, the Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Mr. Celestine Anere, explained that those involved in the shooting acted without authorization from the agency’s leadership. He stressed that their actions violated the operational standards of the brigade.

Eyewitnesses recounted that panic erupted after the operatives allegedly fired shots during the scuffle. Traders and passers-by fled in different directions as stray bullets struck victims, including a pregnant woman and several others. “This is heartbreaking. People came to the market to fend for their families, only to be killed by bullets,” one eyewitness lamented.

While market witnesses insisted that five people were killed, including the pregnant woman, police authorities maintained that only one woman lost her life, with four others sustaining gunshot injuries. The injured were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Onitsha, where medical staff confirmed that the condition of at least one victim remained critical.

The Anambra State Police Command disclosed that it had invited the OCHA Brigade leadership for questioning to identify the suspects and ensure prosecution. Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the move was part of efforts to properly investigate the tragedy.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Government clarified that the operation was not officially sanctioned, insisting that those involved had been dismissed from the brigade. Anere added that the operatives had been handed over to the police and the Department of State Services for investigation.

The killings have sparked widespread outrage, with community leaders and residents condemning the conduct of some state-backed enforcement agents. Traders in Onitsha Main Market were said to have taken to the streets in protest, accusing OCHA operatives of highhandedness and repeated harassment. Some of the accused operatives reportedly fled the scene, abandoning their uniforms to avoid reprisal attacks from angry traders.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration reiterated its commitment to discipline, order, and a livable Anambra, assuring that anyone found culpable would face decisive sanctions.

The tragic incident has intensified calls for accountability and stricter oversight of state enforcement agencies, as the market community continues to mourn the loss of innocent lives.