Operatives of the Anambra State government’s enforcement outfit, Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA Brigade), have been arrested following a shooting incident that left a pregnant woman and four traders dead in Onitsha.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday during an enforcement exercise around Emeka Offor Plaza, Main Market, when a clash broke out between the operatives and traders. Eyewitnesses said five people, including a pregnant woman, were killed, but police authorities maintained that only one woman died, while four others sustained gunshot wounds.
Confirming the arrest, the Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Mr. Celestine Anere, said those involved acted without approval. “The operation was not sanctioned by the leadership of the agency, and such unsanctioned actions contradict the standards guiding the operations of the brigade,” he said.
The OCHA Brigade, a state-run enforcement agency, is tasked with maintaining environmental order, clearing illegal structures, enforcing waste disposal rules, and curbing roadside trading.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command said it had invited the management of the brigade to assist in identifying the operatives involved for prosecution. Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, assured that the incident would be thoroughly investigated.
The killings have sparked outrage among residents, who condemned what they described as excessive use of force by state enforcement operatives.
