There was confusion in Onitsha on Tuesday, September 9, after members of the OCHA Brigade allegedly opened fire at the busy Onitsha Main Market near Emeka Offor Plaza. The shooting left four people dead, including a pregnant woman.

The OCHA Brigade is a government-backed task force in Anambra State responsible for keeping the environment clean, maintaining order, and enforcing government policies on public health.

Trouble began when the operatives asked some traders to clear their goods from the market area. What started as an argument soon escalated, and shots were fired, leading to the tragic loss of four lives.

“This is heartbreaking. Innocent people left their homes this morning and never returned. Among them was a pregnant woman.

Anambra residents are now afraid because guns and uniforms are being given to people who act like criminals,” a distraught trader said.

As of now, neither the state governor nor the police command has made any official statement about the incident.

Meanwhile, angry traders have staged protests in the market, demanding justice for the victims.