A few hours after the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo ordered the arrest of operatives of Operation Clean And Healthy Anambra Brigade, otherwise known as “OCHA Brigade”, who killed a pregnant woman and four others near Emeka Offor Plaza, Onitsha Main Market, the operatives have been nabbed.
Soludo had directed that the suspects be arrested and handed over to the police for prosecution, and that the medical needs of those who sustained injuries be taken care of.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, on Tuesday.
The OCHA Brigade is a special enforcement unit created to enforce environmental and sanitation regulations.
It had, in the past, faced allegations of harassment, extortion, and excessive use of force against residents and traders.
On Tuesday, the situation escalated when operatives reportedly opened fire while carrying out enforcement duties, leading to chaos in the busy commercial hub.
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The operatives of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (Ocha Brigade) had killed a pregnant woman and four others during a confrontation with traders.
The incident occurred on Bright Street, opposite First Bank, when the enforcement team stormed the busy market to confiscate goods displayed by traders.
According to witnesses’ accounts, resistance by the traders quickly degenerated into chaos. Some traders attempted to prevent the task force from seizing their wares, prompting a violent response from the operatives.
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