Tension in Onitsha:as police, touts clash leaves one dead

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By Madu Obi

A clash between the police, anti-touting operatives, and suspected touts at Head Bridge, Onitsha, has left one person dead.

The incident happened during a special enforcement operation by the anti-touting unit to enforce Anambra State’s ban on motorcycles and vehicles loitering around the Head Bridge, Upper Iweka, and Ochanja areas in the commercial city of Onitsha.

It was gathered that the operation was aimed at curbing criminal activities to ensure public safety and curb alleged extortion money from motorcycle riders attempting to pass through the Bridge.

According to reports, the touts, who were reportedly collecting illegal levies from motorcycle operators, resisted the anti-touting team’s intervention and their altercation escalated into a violent clash, resulting in the death of one person.

Spokesperson for the anti touting agency, Karen James, however, denied the allegations, describing them as false and baseless.

“The agency does not use guns. The claim that members of the agency killed someone is a fabrication. The thugs fought amongst themselves, which led to the death of someone," she stated.

Eyewitness accounts corroborate reports of heightened tension during the enforcement operation, as the anti-touting unit attempted to dismantle the illicit collection points.

She recalled that the Anambra State government had previously banned motorcycles and vehicles from loitering in the area due to their association with criminal activities and public disorder.

The police have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, but local residents have called for an immediate investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the clash and the alleged complicity of police officers.