Pandemonium broke out in the Awada area of Onitsha as a combined team from the Special Anti-Touting Squad (SASA) and Agunechemba Squad allegedly invaded the office of the Awada Central Landlords Association. According to sources, the attackers ransacked the office, destroyed property worth millions of naira, and abducted a lady clerk along with two vigilante operatives.
The incident reportedly began following a scuffle on Orsumoghu Street, where local residents, mistaken by some as kidnappers, clashed with the SASA operatives—locally known as the “Akaodo” (Pestle Boys) due to their distinctive armed patrols. According to Uchechukwu Jude Ukachi, Chief Security Officer and CEO of Jufuso Security Agency, his team was summoned to the scene when street boys and the Akaodo engaged in heated banter. When his vigilante men arrived to secure the area, the Akaodo allegedly abandoned the street boys and turned violent against Ukachi’s operatives, leading to a full-scale attack on the Awada Central Landlords Association office.
Eyewitness accounts claim that the attackers broke into several sections of the office—the secretary’s, financial secretary’s, and cashier’s offices—ransacking drawers and seizing a substantial sum of money. In addition, the SASA/Agunechemba team reportedly absconded with two assault English Pump Action rifles, telephone handsets, security gadgets, and other valuable items. Two vigilante operatives, identified as Jideofor Ozoemenam and Chinedu Okonkwo, were abducted during the melee, while a lady cashier was later released. The attackers threatened further violence, warning that they would return until the landlords’ association was disbanded.
In a statement, Ukachi expressed outrage at what he described as a “pure, calculated attempt” to tarnish the reputation of his company and disrupt community security. He questioned how a scuffle between street boys and SASA men could escalate into a coordinated raid on the association’s office. Meanwhile, the Administrative Officer of SASA, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that his team had entered the office in search of an official vehicle key—seized earlier by the association’s security operatives—but denied any involvement in abductions.
State Police Public Relations Officer Tochuckwu Ikenga confirmed that police have intervened to restore calm and are working to bring the three governmental agencies together for a roundtable discussion aimed at an amicable settlement. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation among local residents and stakeholders, who are calling for swift action to address the lawlessness and ensure the safety of community members and security operatives alike.
