Personnel of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (Ocha Brigade) have allegedly killed four persons, including a pregnant woman, following a violent clash with traders at the Onitsha Main Market.
The incident happened on Tuesday along Bright Street, opposite First Bank, when the task force stormed the market to seize traders’ goods.
It is understood that resistance from the traders led to chaos, during which the operatives allegedly opened fire on unarmed civilians.
Happening now at Main Market Onitsha. Ocha Brigade came as usual to pack people’s goods but the owners refused to allow them, and the whole thing quickly escalated into a very ugly scene when one of the operatives started shooting directly at people at close range. According to the latest reports, two people among those shot are already dead,” an eyewitness wrote on Facebook.
A chilling tragedy struck Anambra State over the weekend as Ifesinachi Martins Onyekere—better known as “Fish Magnet” on social media—was abducted and murdered in cold blood after an armed raid on his home in Okpuno, Awka South Local Government Area.
Gunmen in an ash‑coloured Lexus SUV stormed Onyekere’s residence in Ezinifite Village around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, shooting him in the leg and forcibly abducting him in his own navy‑blue Toyota Corolla. The attackers then escaped via bush paths toward Nawfia, evading local security forces.
Though reports suggest a ransom was paid for his release, Fish Magnet’s body was later discovered abandoned along a roadside in Awka on Wednesday, triggering widespread public outrage
Fish Magnet, a youthful and enterprising fish seller, had built a reputation for offering lower prices in the trade—earning admiration but also stirring envy. An old video resurfaced after his death in which he openly discussed resentment from colleagues in the industry, stating he “reduced the price for everybody” which stirred anger among fellow sellers.
The police spokesperson in Anambra, Superintendent Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the kidnapping and murder, saying the victim’s vehicle was recovered on Ukwulu/Igbariam Road by security operatives. The Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered all investigative units to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Social media has erupted with grief and calls for justice. Social commentator Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), wept publicly over Fish Magnet’s death and vowed to visit Anambra on August 4 for a candlelight procession through the fish market to raise awareness about the growing insecurity in the region.
The slain entrepreneur was the only child of his mother, who also serves as a women’s leader in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State—a connection that has amplified public interest and concern over the incident.
This incident has reignited fears about worsening insecurity in southeastern Nigeria, where kidnappings and armed attacks have become grimly frequent—often targeting young entrepreneurs and traders. Public pressure is mounting on authorities to act swiftly and prevent further loss of promising lives.
