By SUNTV Global Channel
August 20, 2026
Human rights lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called for the immediate prosecution of police officers allegedly involved in the shooting of traders and other civilians at the Ogbo-Ogwu Headbridge Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Ejiofor also demanded an independent and transparent investigation to determine what happened and establish responsibility for the reported deaths and injuries.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the lawyer condemned what he described as the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians, insisting that any officer found to have acted unlawfully should face the full weight of the law.
According to Ejiofor, traders alleged that some police personnel regularly operate within the market under the guise of enforcement, while allegedly subjecting traders to harassment, arrests and demands for gratification.
He said the reported incident began on Wednesday morning when a trader leaving the market with a carton of goods was allegedly pursued by police officers after he failed to stop.
Ejiofor alleged that the trader was subsequently shot at close range, triggering a protest by traders and other civilians at the market.
He further alleged that police officers responded to the protest by firing indiscriminately, resulting in serious injuries and loss of lives.
“A civilian protest, however tense or disorderly, cannot by itself become a licence for the indiscriminate deployment of lethal force,” Ejiofor said.
However, the Anambra State Police Command has presented a different account of the incident.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, said the incident occurred during an attempted arrest after suspects allegedly resisted police officers.
According to the command, the confrontation resulted in gunshot injuries.
CP Ama later visited the victims at the hospital, where he assured them of the command’s support 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 that led to the discharge of firearms.
He said the investigation would establish the facts and determine the appropriate action based on its findings.
The police commissioner appealed for calm and urged members of the public to remain peaceful while the investigation continues.
Despite the police account, Ejiofor maintained that the circumstances surrounding the shooting require an independent investigation capable of determining whether excessive or unlawful force was used.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, and the Anambra State Commissioner of Police to ensure that the investigation is conducted independently, transparently and without institutional bias.
Ejiofor also demanded that authorities identify every police officer who discharged a firearm or participated in any alleged unlawful action during the incident.
He said officers found to have violated the law should face prosecution and other appropriate sanctions.
“The dead cannot speak for themselves. The injured deserve justice. The bereaved deserve answers. And the public deserves the truth,” Ejiofor said.
The lawyer further urged the Nigeria Police Force leadership not to shield any personnel found culpable, stressing that police authority should be exercised to protect citizens and maintain public order.
The incident has continued to generate concern in Onitsha, with calls for the investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported shooting, deaths and injuries.
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