Two dies, many injured in Ogbosisi Market’s raid 

Austin Okoro DDM NEWS

It was a horrible experience in Ogbosisi market, Wetheral road Owerri on Tuesday 25th March, as a combined taskforce from government and security agencies invaded Ogbosisi market.

The government taskforce allegedly led by Mr Chinasa Nwaneri and security agencies were shooting sporadically and demolishing the market and two persons died while two were hospitalized.

Speaking to newsmen immediately after the incident, the President General of Umuoyima Autonomous community in Owerri Municipal Council , Chief Christian Anukam said they were shocked on Tuesday when some vehicles came around the Ogbosisi market with people covering their faces  shooting sporadically, demolished and kill people in the market.

” Today we saw vehicles around our place with people that cover their faces.

Same day I gathered everyone at the market square that the governor was coming and waited till about 12.00 noon but was surprised when some men came with arms and ammunitions and  two persons died, while two got injured and hospitalized”, he noted.

Chief Anukam said that he was signalled to escape by one of the men who knew him.

” One of the men told me to run that they were looking for me and I ran.

I was hiding till they left and they asked me to come out that the invaders have left.”

He said that they spoilt many properties belonging to the traders and the villagers.

The President General said the invaders claimed that they were sent by Mr Chinasa Nwaneri and Governor Hope Uzodinma.

He exonerated the governor saying he is  Innocent concerning that matter.

Anukam noted that the invaders who came in their numbers claimed that they are training criminals in that market which he disowned as untrue.

He said that the Ogbosisi market belongs to them but that  in 2007, they leased it to the government of Chief Achike Udenwa which later was released to them.

The President General urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to call the taskforce to order so that another party will not take the State in the next election.

He also appealed to the governor to investigate the matter through the documents available and if he finds out that the land belong to them then he should return it back but if not the governor should take it .

He explained that for about three days Chinasa Nwaneri was mobilizing people into the market saying the documents presented to him was fake.

The Chairman Umuoyima Council of Elders in the King’s palace, Elder Godfrey Offurum confirmed and narrated how the incident happened.

” Yesterday, we got a message that Owerri City Development Commission OCDA was coming  Tuesday 25th March.

My President General came to me and asked me what they should do, I told him to call the town crier to inform the villagers to gather on the 25th of March 2025 at the market square.

They gathered till about 11:30 AM. What we heard was catcham, wholam.

Where I was sitting all the youths, women and men were running for their dear lives.

What is it,  even Nigeria/Biafra war was not like that.

They claimed Government sent them. We did not go their to fight.

We came to hear what they wanted to tell us”, he stated.

Elder Offurum noted that he was a Biafra soldier adding that if a force man wants to scare people away, he should shoot at angle 90 degree to his elbow.

He added that a soldier has no right to shoot sporadically and that it was unfortunate that they did that and injured people.

He said the land belongs to them even though government owns every land.

Stressing that they leased the land in 2007 during Governor Achike Udenwa’s administration but it was released back to them.

” The document is there, the land is our own”, he noted.

Elder Offurum urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to come and apologize to them that he did not send them to kill anybody.

“Governor Hope Uzodinma should come and apologize to us that you did not send them to kill anybody.”

A car dealer in Ogbosisi market, Ekene Iheanacho  KC motors said they were given quit notice even though they did not take it serious.

He said: ” They came yesterday informing us of their coming.

We started removing our things gradually. All of sudden they flooded the market with security agents and others and shot sporadically.”

Ekene noted that the land owners or natives are saying, they land belong to them and not to government and urged them to stay.

He said the land owners warned that anyone who disobeys loses his property.

* So people were having double minds whether to go or not until the taskforce invaded us,” he hinted.

Mr Ekene said, they don’t know whether the land was sold or not but all he knows was that the government is laying claim and Indigenes are laying claim also.

He urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to provide a space for them to store their wares.