The Anambra State Police Command said it has commenced an investigation into the alleged killing of one person at the Science Equipment Market, Onitsha Bridgehead, in the state.
There was pandemonium on Friday night at the market, as operatives of the Anambra State Anti-Tout Squad, allegedly shot one person dead and injured several others.
It was gathered that trouble started at the market when the operatives invaded the area in search of someone who was said to have urinated in a restricted area and run into the market for cover.
Eyewitnesses said the operatives shot indiscriminately for over two hours in the market as the traders scampered to safety, leading to the destruction and looting of shops.
When our correspondent visited the scene on Saturday, traders were seen tidying up the market surroundings and parking the remnants of their items.
One of the traders who identified himself simply as Okonkwo said, “Yesterday was a black Friday in this market. The anti-tout operatives killed a man simply because he urinated in a gutter along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway.
“After urinating, the boy ran into the market as the anti-tout operatives chased him. When the anti-tout operatives entered the market, they started shooting and the shooting lasted for over two hours.
“This caused pandemonium in the market as many sellers and buyers in the market sustained severe injuries while scampering to safety. Stray bullets hit two people who were rushed to hospital after they (the operatives) left.
“The victims sell drugs at Ogboogwu market. People’s goods were also destroyed and looted. The anti-tout operatives sealed our toilets and started collecting money from anyone they saw urinating in the gutter. That was the cause of the problem.”
However, the Anambra State Police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, while confirming the incident said the Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye, had ordered a probe.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Adeoye has ordered the immediate transfer of a reported murder incident that happened at the Head Bridgehead market by 4:30 pm, on Friday. Our officers led by the DPO, Head Bridge, on receipt of the information, got to the scene and saw a young man in a pool of blood while another was injured.
“The victims were rushed to the hospital where the doctor confirmed one dead. The police also recovered six expanded cartridges from the scene. Further details shall be communicated, please,” Ikenga added.