By Odita Sunday
Tension rocked the bustling Onitsha Main Market on Tuesday after an altercation between traders and personnel of the Ocha Brigade, an Anambra State environmental enforcement outfit, reportedly left seven traders with gunshot wounds.
According to reports, the incident sparked unrest within the market, forcing traders to abandon their shops. Sadly, one of the victims, 22-year-old Miss Chinwe Igwe, was confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital, while six others are currently receiving treatment and responding well.
Reacting swiftly to the crisis, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, deployed tactical teams alongside other security agencies to restore order.
The operation, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations and supported by the Area Commander Onitsha, the DPO Main Market, and the Commander of the Anti-Cultism Squad, calmed the aggrieved traders and ensured a return to normal business activities.
Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development, noting that normalcy has since been restored with intensified patrols to maintain peace.
He added that the Command has invited the management of Ocha Brigade to identify the personnel involved so they can face prosecution.
The tragic incident has, however, thrown up fresh concerns about the conduct of local enforcement outfits and their interactions with traders in Anambra State.