Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
Traders in Onitsha, Anambra State, have appealed to the newly deployed Commissioner of Police in the state to investigate alleged harassment, illegal raids and seizure of goods by some policemen operating in the commercial city.
The traders alleged that some police officers attached to the Area Command in Onitsha had been breaking into shops at night and allegedly carting away goods without presenting search warrants, court orders or other official documents authorising the operations.
The traders, who spoke with journalists by telephone, claimed that the alleged raids were usually carried out around 10pm, when most shop owners and their workers had left the market.
According to them, the policemen allegedly use heavy instruments to break into targeted shops before loading the goods into police vehicles and taking them to the Area Command.
Their spokesman, Nnanunyelugo Elias, alleged that the latest incident occurred on August 9, 2026, at Shop 52 in the building materials section of the Onitsha market.
Elias alleged that five police officers identified as Inspectors Anthony and Elijah, Sergeants Daniel and Ebo, and an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sebastine, invaded a medicine store and removed drugs allegedly worth more than N50 million.
He claimed that the officers took the seized goods to the Area Command in a pickup van, alleging that the operation was conducted without a search warrant, court order or other official documentation.
According to him, the owner of the shop went to the command the following morning to establish the whereabouts of his goods but was allegedly informed that they had been transferred to a government ministry responsible for confiscated goods.
Elias alleged that no specific offence was disclosed to the trader, nor was he told which ministry had taken custody of the goods.
He further claimed that an unnamed policeman later told the trader that the drugs had been sold and advised him to leave the station to avoid being detained.
The traders alleged that similar incidents had occurred previously but said many victims were reluctant to speak out for fear of possible reprisals.
They appealed to the new Commissioner of Police to investigate the allegations and identify officers involved in the alleged activities.
“We are therefore calling on the new Commissioner of Police to swing into action by identifying all the policemen involved in these dubious deals because they are well known,” the traders said.
They also alleged that two of the officers named were involved in a recent shooting incident at Onitsha Head Bridge, urging the police authorities to investigate the allegation and take appropriate action against any officer found culpable.
The traders warned that unchecked misconduct by security personnel could further undermine public confidence in the police in Onitsha, which they described as a major commercial centre in the South-East.
They urged the new police commissioner to ensure that officers found guilty of misconduct were disciplined in accordance with established procedures.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer were unsuccessful as calls placed to his telephone did not connect as of the time of filing this report.
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