Violence erupted in Onitsha on Old Market Road, near Venn Road North, after a confrontation between suspected Anambra State revenue collectors and an angry mob, leaving three people feared dead and several others injured.
The chaos began when a tipper truck, being chased by revenue officials for non-payment, lost control and struck a pedestrian, killing him instantly.
Enraged by the incident, a group of local youths formed a mob and attacked the revenue agents, using clubs, sticks, and stones.
Two of the revenue officials were reportedly killed in the ensuing attack.
Witnesses to the incident shared that the tipper driver had been forced to swerve when revenue agents jumped into the vehicle to grab the steering wheel, resulting in the fatal crash.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as Mr. Jackson, described the revenue agents as “touts” who regularly harass motorists in the area.
He said, “The revenue agents have been terrorizing people in this area, especially drivers. On that day, they chased the tipper, and the situation escalated when the driver lost control and hit a pedestrian. The mob then retaliated by killing two of the agents.”
The police were alerted and arrived at the scene, removing the bodies of the two slain agents and transporting the injured to an undisclosed hospital.
Tensions in Onitsha have escalated, with residents reportedly beginning to target the revenue agents, whom they blame for creating a climate of fear in the city.
Onitsha’s Area Commander, ACP Nzota Chidi, confirmed the incident and expressed frustration over his repeated warnings to the revenue agents.
He lamented that efforts to counsel them had been ignored, which ultimately led to the violent clash.
“I have been trying to keep the peace in this area, but it’s clear that my efforts haven’t been effective. Now the situation has gotten out of hand. For now, we know that one pedestrian was killed by the tipper, while two revenue agents were seriously injured.”
The Area Commander assured that the police would continue to monitor the situation closely and work toward restoring calm to the community.
