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Tears flowed freely on Monday as traders watched helplessly while their shops were demolished at Johnson Line, within the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State.

The demolition, reportedly carried out on the orders of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, took some traders by surprise, with many having assumed that the exercise would no longer take place following months of delay.

Heavy-duty tractors moved into the area and pulled down shops and structures, leaving traders with forlorn faces as they struggled to salvage their goods and belongings.

The development comes months after Soludo announced plans to remove shanties and structures obstructing gutters, electricity lines and other infrastructure within the market.

The governor had also held meetings with market leaders at the Light House in Awka, where he explained plans to rebuild and modernise the market, widely regarded as one of the largest commercial markets in West Africa.

According to Soludo, the redevelopment is aimed at transforming the market into a more organised and modern commercial centre comparable to major markets in other parts of the world.

He had said the proposed redevelopment would eliminate shanties, while also providing facilities and infrastructure, including a fire service station, hospital, improved parking facilities, better electricity supply and improved road access.

However, Monday’s demolition left many traders distressed, particularly those operating along Johnson Line.

One of the affected traders, who identified himself as Emeka, said the development caught them off guard because they had begun to believe that the demolition would no longer happen.

“I didn’t see this coming. In fact, this started yesterday. A friend called me to come and evacuate the goods in my wife’s shop as a tractor had arrived in the area,” he said.

According to him, his wife was overwhelmed by the news after hearing that the demolition had commenced.

“My wife almost collapsed in the kitchen out of fear when she heard the news. I called her down and we went together to the place and luckily her shop was not hit until this morning, when it became obvious that her shop would not be spared,” he said.

Emeka disclosed that he had almost paid N10 million for another shop in the area but decided to delay the transaction until the fate of the existing structures became clearer.

“I almost paid for another shop around there to the tune of N10 million but somehow, I held the seller to tarry a while, so we know the fate of the building first,” he said.

He added that he and other affected traders had begun searching for alternative shops, with some reportedly being offered for about N3 million.

Another trader, who pleaded anonymity, said although traders had earlier been informed about the planned demolition, they became less concerned after some other sections were demolished while Johnson Line was left untouched.

He lamented that he was now uncertain about how to continue his business.

“I don’t know where to go from here because I don’t have the huge money to buy a shop,” he said.

Also affected was Mrs Uche Ejiakor, who said she bought a shop in one of the demolished buildings just three months ago for N3 million.

Ejiakor, whose business was still at an early stage, expressed despair over the loss.

“How do I start again? I just bought a shop, here we are today, the shop is levelled down. The money is gone,” she said in tears.

The demolition also triggered panic across parts of the market, as several traders who were not directly affected hurriedly closed and locked their shops.

The development left sections of the usually busy market unusually deserted, while groups of traders stood around watching as the demolition continued.

The state government has maintained that the exercise is part of its broader plan to transform and modernise the Onitsha Main Market, improve infrastructure and restore order within the commercial hub.

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The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a self-styled pastor, Kehinde Makinde, popularly known as Pastor Kenny, for allegedly defrauding 18 fellowship members of about N2.5m under the guise of arranging a government-sponsored pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Makinde was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State, after detectives attached to the Obantoko Division reportedly spent four months gathering intelligence and conducting surveillance on him.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

Babaseyi said the suspect allegedly operated across Ogun, Oyo and Osun states, where he was accused of manipulating unsuspecting people while claiming to offer spiritual deliverance.

He said investigations showed that Makinde allegedly collected about N2.5m from 18 fellowship members in the Saje area of Adatan, Ogun State, after promising to facilitate their participation in a government-sponsored pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

According to the police, the suspect allegedly told each of the victims that they would receive N2m in connection with the purported programme.

“Following four months of sustained intelligence gathering and discreet investigation, detectives attached to the Obantoko Division, on August 3, 2026, arrested Kehinde Makinde, popularly known as Pastor Kenny, in Ibadan, Oyo State,” Babaseyi stated.

The police spokesman said the investigation was initiated following allegations that Makinde had been using spiritual activities as a means of exploiting unsuspecting members of the public.

He added that the suspect remained in police custody while detectives continued their investigation to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud.

Babaseyi said the command was also working to identify other persons who may have fallen victim to the suspect and establish whether he had accomplices.

The police assured members of the public that further developments would be made known as the investigation progresses.

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Operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun Corps, have rescued two kidnap victims from a forest hideout in the Oke-Igbo area of the state, following a 72-hour intelligence-led operation.

The rescue operation, however, ended on a tragic note as a woman abducted alongside the victims reportedly died before she could be revived by the security operatives.

The Corps Commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this on Monday while parading 14 suspects arrested for various offences before journalists in the state.

Adeleye said the operation began after the corps received a distress call over the abduction of two persons in Oke-Igbo, prompting the deployment of nine operatives from its Special Squad.

He said the squad subsequently sought the assistance of other security agencies, particularly the Department of State Services, leading to a coordinated effort to locate the victims.

According to him, the kidnappers initially attempted to frustrate the rescue effort by supplying misleading geolocation information.

He said the operatives eventually relied on intelligence gathering, forest searches and other tactical measures to trace the victims to a location several kilometres away from where they were abducted.

Adeleye said, “Several kilometres away from the scene of the crime, we successfully secured the release of the two victims who were kidnapped in Oke-Igbo.

“It was not without a lot of trouble because the kidnappers equally deceived us on the geolocation. We developed non-kinetic measures in addition to intelligence-driven bush combing, and this led to identifying them deep inside the forest.”

He, however, said the female victim was found in critical condition and could not be revived.

“Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the lady was exhausted and we could not revive her. We met her dead or unconscious,” the commander stated.

One of the rescued victims, 38-year-old Adetan Adebanjo Adedayo, said he was abducted on August 3 while working on his farm in Oke-Igbo.

Adedayo said four armed men, who were carrying AK-47 rifles, accosted him while he was trying to reverse his vehicle, tied him up and marched him into the forest.

He said the gang later abducted another woman from a nearby farm and took the captives farther into the bush.

According to him, the victims endured hunger, physical assault and prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions during their captivity.

He added that the kidnappers subsequently contacted their relatives and demanded N100m ransom for each victim.

Adedayo said a fierce gun battle broke out when the Amotekun operatives confronted the kidnappers, eventually leading to their rescue.

He said the female victim had become extremely weak from lack of food and died shortly after they were freed.

“I tried to carry her and told her not to panic, but she was already dead. We paid nothing, not a single ransom, before the Amotekun came to rescue us,” he said.

Adeleye also disclosed that two other kidnap victims were recently rescued around the Ala-Dada axis after they managed to send a distress signal to security operatives.

He said the Amotekun team responded within minutes and successfully evacuated the victims from the forest.

The commander further disclosed the arrest of suspected kidnappers and cattle rustlers operating around Ore, Ode-Aye, Ofosu and Omotosho in the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

He said the suspects were allegedly involved in the abduction of people and the rustling of cattle belonging to herders, with some of the stolen animals reportedly sold to buyers at reduced prices.

Adeleye added that some suspected accomplices were still at large, noting that security agencies were making efforts to apprehend them.

He said two suspects, Akinlolu and Akintimi, were arrested over alleged illegal possession of firearms, while Jamiu was apprehended for allegedly vandalising buildings under construction and stealing electrical cables, plumbing materials and other fittings.

Another suspect, identified as Olajide, was arrested over alleged theft of iron rods, while Lomi Dada was accused of stealing an iron rod from the palace of a traditional ruler in Odigbo.

The corps commander also announced the recovery of a motorcycle allegedly stolen in Akure and taken to Ore for sale.

He identified Ojo, 25, and Opayemi, 29, as suspects linked to the alleged theft.

Adeleye said the 14 suspects paraded comprised nine persons arrested for various offences and five others allegedly connected with kidnapping and cattle rustling.

He added that one suspect linked to an earlier kidnapping case had been traced to Oyo State, where efforts were ongoing with sister security agencies to arrest and return him to Ondo State.

The commander assured residents, businesses and prospective investors of the commitment of the corps to maintaining security across the state.

He said forest surveillance and border patrols had been intensified, while Amotekun Rangers had been deployed to strategic locations, forest corridors and major junctions to deter criminal activities.

Another rescued victim, 36-year-old Lawal Onimisi Abdulhamid of Okene, said he and his boss escaped from suspected kidnappers after they were intercepted while travelling towards a farm around the Dada-Power Line axis.

Abdulhamid said between four and six armed men chased them with torches, forcing them to abandon their vehicle and seek refuge in the bush.

He said they subsequently alerted Amotekun operatives, who arrived shortly afterwards and rescued them.

The Chairman of the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area, Adeboye Adedare, commended Amotekun and other security agencies for their prompt intervention.

Adedare also praised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for responding swiftly after being informed of the abduction.

He urged residents not to dispose of their property or yield to pressure from kidnappers demanding ransom, expressing confidence in the ability of security agencies to rescue abducted persons.

The council chairman described the death of the female victim as painful, while commending the police, civil defence personnel, anti-kidnapping operatives, Amotekun and local hunters for their joint efforts.

He also praised Amotekun personnel for what he described as professionalism and dedication to their duties.

Adedare assured residents of Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo and the state generally that the security and welfare of the people would remain a priority.