MAYHEM IN ONITSHA AS POLICE SHOOT TRADER

According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the deceased had been earlier arrested by the police in connection with some crimes allegedly committed in the market, but he tried to escape and the police shot at him, resulting in his death. Speaking to journalists yesterday, the Chairman of the electronics market, Chief Okechukwu Okoli said trouble started when one of the street urchins popularly known as (Ndi-Oso-Afia), who was earlier arrested by police tried to escape but was shot by the police.

'The boys mobilized immediately, when they heard that one of them had been shot, they overpowered the police and carried the corpse of their member into the office of the market executives. They destroyed the office and other shops in the market. During their operation, shops were broken into and goods carted away,' he said.

Daily Sun also reported that it took the intervention of the Area Commander in charge of Onitsha Area Command, Mr. Larry Osita who mobilized his men to control the tension as the suspected market urchins had mobilized to make bonfire along the major roads and streets in the commercial city.

When contacted, the Anambra state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed the incident, but said that the details were yet to be given to the command at the time of filling this report.