Police shoot two in Onitsha over alleged resistance to arrest
By Chimaobi Nwaiwu
NNEWI — There was pandemonium on Wednesday at the Bridge Head area of Onitsha, Anambra State, following the alleged shooting of two persons by policemen at the popular Ogbogwu Market Junction.
The incident reportedly caused a blockade of the Onitsha end of the Onitsha-Asaba-Enugu Expressway, disrupting vehicular movement between Onitsha and Asaba for several hours.
Initial information gathered by Vanguard indicated that the two victims, said to be loaders at the market, were carrying cartons of goods when they were allegedly accosted by policemen who demanded to know the contents of the cartons.
The victims were said to have refused to respond and allegedly attempted to flee, prompting the policemen to chase them and fire their weapons.
However, one of the victims, who spoke with journalists from his hospital bed in Onitsha after regaining consciousness, gave a different account of the incident.
He said he was not involved in the disagreement between the policemen and the other persons.
“I’m from Anambra State. I load goods at the Ogbogwu Market Junction. I saw two people struggling and I went there and started asking what they were struggling for, not knowing that one of them was a policeman because he was in mufti and not in uniform.
“He hid his gun. It was immediately I asked them that question that he brought out his gun and shot me.
“I could not even ask him what I did wrong that warranted shooting me because I fainted and lost consciousness immediately after the gunshot. I don’t know why he shot me. He did not even ask me any question before shooting me,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, the Anambra State Police Command said the immediate priority of the Commissioner of Police was the recovery of the victims.
In a statement by the command’s spokesman, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, titled “Onitsha Head Bridge Incident,” the police said the incident occurred during an attempted arrest in which suspects allegedly resisted arrest.
The statement said the confrontation resulted in gunshot injuries to two persons.
“The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, psc, mnips, today, 19th August 2026, while addressing the crowd in Onitsha over the incident arising from a confrontation during an attempted arrest, stated that the immediate priority of the Command is to ensure that the victims recover fully,” the statement said.
According to the command, CP Oji Ama subsequently visited the victims at the hospital, assured them of the support of the command and pledged to personally ensure that their medical expenses were covered.
The Commissioner also ordered a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly the events leading to the discharge of the firearm.
He said the investigation would establish the facts and ensure that appropriate action was taken based on its findings.
The Commissioner appealed for calm and urged members of the public to remain peaceful while the investigation continued.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to professionalism, accountability, respect for human life and the rule of law.
The police said traffic and human movement around the Head Bridge area had been de-escalated, with the free flow of vehicular and human movement restored.
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