Tension gripped the Biafra Market area in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Thursday after a 17-year-old boy was tragically shot dead by members of a state-backed vigilante group known as Agụnechemba. The incident, which occurred along Ifejike Street near Sokoto Road, sparked chaos among residents and traders, leading to the arrest of two operatives involved in the fatal shooting by police.

According to eyewitness accounts, the teenager was seated on a culvert near the Nwangene Drainage channel, possibly on his way to use a public toilet, when he was struck by a bullet fired by the Agụnechemba operatives. The officers were reportedly in pursuit of a suspect and began firing shots indiscriminately, one of which hit the innocent bystander.

“The boy was not involved in any crime. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time,” a visibly distraught trader told Saturday PUNCH. “They were chasing someone and shooting carelessly. The bullet hit the boy while he was just sitting quietly. It was heartbreaking.”

Police arrest two as Anambra security operatives kill 17-year-old

Following the shooting, the security operatives reportedly attempted to flee the scene in their patrol vehicle. However, their efforts were thwarted by angry residents and traders who quickly mobilized to block the road. The crowd demanded accountability and insisted that the boy’s body not be abandoned at the scene.

A video circulating on social media shows two men, believed to be Agụnechemba officers, lifting the lifeless body of the teenager into the back of a white security van with the license plate ANSG 0060. The footage has further fueled public outrage, with many Nigerians calling for a full investigation into the conduct of the operatives and greater oversight of state-sanctioned vigilante groups.

“The way they behave is becoming unbearable. These men walk around armed, treating people with aggression. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened,” said another resident who witnessed the aftermath.

Confirming the incident, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, revealed that two suspects had been taken into custody in connection with the shooting. He added that the suspects were identified as members of the Agụnechemba security outfit and were intercepted with assistance from concerned traders and community members.

“Police operatives attached to the Onitsha Main Market Division, in collaboration with members of the public, arrested two suspects involved in the killing of a 17-year-old boy,” Ikenga said in a statement. “A pump-action rifle was recovered during the operation. The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Awka for a thorough investigation.”

Ikenga also quoted the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikoiye Orutugu, as condemning the actions of the security personnel. The CP reportedly ordered their immediate detention and assured the public that a detailed probe would be conducted to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting.

“We are committed to justice in this matter,” the police spokesperson added. “The Commissioner has instructed that all those found culpable will face appropriate legal sanctions.”

The Agụnechemba security outfit, along with a sister group known as Udo-ga-Chi, was launched by the Anambra State Government in March 2025 as part of a broader effort to curb rising insecurity in the state. These community-based outfits were designed to supplement the work of formal law enforcement agencies in tackling crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and cultism.

While the initiative was initially welcomed by many communities, reports of high-handedness and lack of professionalism among some operatives have cast a shadow over their credibility. Concerns have been raised about insufficient training, the use of unregulated firearms, and inadequate mechanisms for accountability.

Human rights advocates have called on the state government to urgently reassess the training, operations, and oversight of such security groups to prevent further tragedies.

As of press time, the identity of the 17-year-old victim had not been officially released, but local sources described him as a student who lived nearby. His sudden and violent death has sent shockwaves through the community, with many questioning why an operation intended to apprehend a suspect could so quickly spiral into a tragedy.

“This was someone’s child, someone’s brother,” a resident said. “You can’t just shoot into a crowd and walk away. We want justice for that boy and accountability from those who allowed this to happen.”

With the suspects now in police custody and a full investigation underway, the people of Onitsha—and Anambra State at large—await answers, hoping that justice will be served and that steps will be taken to ensure such a senseless loss does not occur again.