Security Agents Absent As Onitsha, Nnewi Markets, Schools, Banks Shut Down Over Gunmen Threats

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Vanguard News

Pandemonium, on Friday, broke out at some markets and places in Onitsha and Nnewi the commercial and industrial towns of Anambra State, as commercial and business activities were disrupted following gunshots by unknown gunmen enforcing sit-at-home.

The development caused traders at the markets in the communities including Onitsha Main Market, Ochaja Central Market, Relief Market and Head Bridge Markets to close shops while banks hurriedly shut their doors against customers who visited to carry out some banking transactions.

The development made some schools to call parents, who immediately rushed to schools to pick their children, particularly when they saw some secondary school students going home.

This is even as the Anambra State Police command had urged residents of the state to go about their lawful activities and not to panic over rumours making the rounds, asking the people to remain indoors on Friday.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP, Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Friday, said the panic was created by some “mischief-makers” sharing false security alerts/messages and doctored old videos of security incidents to cause tension and panic in the state.

Residence fault govt, security agents

However, the resident and traders dismissed Police assurances of securing them, saying that Police, Army, Navy, DSS and NSCDC were nowhere to be found on Mondays in Anambra State and other days people are made to sit-at-home.

The residents said that all they know is issuing statements of assurances without backing it up with action.

A trader in Onitsha Main Market, who gave his name as Okechukwu Emelummadu, said, “We have Police, Army, Navy with their numerous check points where they extort money and delays traffic movement, and we also have DSS operatives.

“But it is funny that on Mondays and days people declare illegal sit-at-home, even from the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, whose own sit-at-home orders are made known in the newspapers, you cannot see the Policemen, soldiers, naval rating on the roads in the state particularly in Onitsha and Nnewi the two economic strength towns of the state, to give security to the people to go about their businesses.

“Even when you visit banks on a day like this like many people did today, policemen were stationed in the banks but banks shut their doors and left security men to tell visiting customer that they are not working today.

“So what is the essence of assurances of protection of the people to go about their businesses without fear, when the security agencies are hiding in their barracks while hoodlums continue to have field day?

“It has been like this since August 2021 when the issue of Monday and other days sit-at-home started.

“We heard that some people have warned that there won’t be movement today, Friday, and markets will not open; that people should remain indoors.

“But nobody knows the reason and the direction it is coming from. And unfortunately the security agents in the state, particularly in Onitsha and Nnewi, have no answer to the security threat.

“So why won’t people and traders and businessmen shut their markets and offices.

How pandemonium started

“Some of us who came to the market this morning hanged around and were watching development while some traders opened their shops partially.

“But pandemonium started when we heard gunshots being fired near the Bridgehead and these made the traders and some people who were in the market to start running helter-skelter, closing their shops and rushing home.”

Some of the market that hurriedly shut their gates in Nnewi are Nkwo Nnewi Market and other surrounding markets, like Motor Cycle Parts Market and Agbaedo Market, while all the banks near them that opened earlier in the day shut their doors against stranded customers, who wanted to travel to their respective destinations and those who needed money for the weekend.”

Police statement

Part of the statement issued by the PPRO, Anambra State read in part: “The Anambra State Police Command, today 7/7/2023, has observed with great dismay, the mischievous act of persons sharing false security alerts/messages, and doctored old videos of security incidents to cause tension/panic in the state.

“Given the above, the Command shall invoke relevant cyber laws on persons found wanting in this regard.

“In the event of any request for security service, members of the public are advised to call the following phone numbers: the Command Control Room Number at 07039194332 or the Public Relations Officer PRO at 08039334002.

“The ‘npf rescue me app’ is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and iPhone users, respectively.”

However, an Onitsha-based legal practitioner Mr. Okey Uduma, dismissed the Police statement, saying that residents of Onitsha have already made up their mind about the inactions of the government and security agents in the state over incessant sit-at-home order.