Anambra is no doubt one of the states in Nigeria experiencing incessant and very high rates of kidnapping that in some cases do lead to the death of the abducted victims and killing of security operatives and some other persons around the scene of the mostly monetary crimes of hostage taking for a ransom, specifically, our crime reporters gathered that there is hardly no week without one or two persons being kidnapped along the Onitsha-Owerri Federal road in Anambra state, especially between Oba community and Ihiala town, as we gathered that, most victims of kidnapping in the state are hard working small and medium-sized business owners who most of whom struggled out of poverty to become wealthy successful traders, this, we learnt, there maybe no wealthy successful business owner along the Ihiala-Orlu road left to be kidnapped or forced to pay ransom to the kidnappers, while in Oba, wealthy people are being kidnapped quietly and ransom in millions are paid in silence to the kidnappers, according to members of the community, a young successful businessman was kidnapped recently at a location between the Oba New Road and Old Road junctions shortly after he visited his building construction site, while we also learnt that some people in the state do report or contract their friends to kidnappers just to get a share from the ransom that will be paid afterwards or when such people have issue or dispute with their friends or co-traders, it may interest you to know that, the Anambra State Police Command recently arrested a 24-year-old male suspect, Muanaenye Victor, for allegedly luring his friend to be kidnapped by his criminal gang in Uli, Ihiala local government area of the state and they reportedly collected a ransom in dollars equivalent to ₦5.3 million with his gang members, just as gunmen in a not too long distance time, abducted a lawyer and two other persons in Nkpologwu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra, in addition to previous cases of kidnapping of the owner of De Porsche Club, Chief Ebere Orji by unknown gunmen after the gunmen killed numbers of persons along the new Oba-Nnewi road in Idemili South Local government area of Anambra State, with the number of those killed at the Porsche Nightclub said to be seven but one of the security operatives was beheaded, and another had his foot cut off and made away with by the invading deadly kidnappers, this occurred shortly after, a well known native doctor or witch doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu a.k.a Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki was kidnapped, after his two personal aides killed in the vicinity of his hotel at Oba community before the kidnappers effortlessly took him away and was released after ransom in millions were reportedly paid, that not all, on May 21, 2022, shortly after Professor Chukwuma Soludo was sworn in as governor, gunmen abducted the lawmaker representing Aguata 2 Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Okechukwu Okoye, Okoye, also known as “Okey di okay”, represented Soludo’s state constituency, Isuofia, Okoye was killed and beheaded alongside his aide, Cyril Chiegboka, six days after they were abducted along Aguluzigbo Road, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state, and their heads and bodies dumped along a roadside in the state, and in December 2024, another lawmaker in the state House of Assembly was kidnapped and killed, and the victim, the lifeless body of the member representing Onitsha North 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Justice Azuka, was found along the 2nd Niger Bridge, with Azuka’s lifeless body, said to be already decomposing was found by a joint team of security operatives 44 days after he was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, along the Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha, while returning home for Christmas, and the most prominent among the incessant cases of kidnapping in the state, is Martins Onyekesi well known as Fish Magnet, the kidnapping and subsequent killing of the young small business owner sparked protest and public awareness like never before, with a social right activist, Martins Otse a.k.a VeryDarkMan coming to the state earlier on Sunday and led a protest walk on Tuesday which was tagged Candlelight Procession march in honour of Fish Magnet, one of the most recent victims of the unabated deadly monetary kidnapping business apparently thriving in Anambra like some other states in Nigeria, with VeryDarkMan saying during the protest that it maybe right to say that kidnappers killed Fish Magnet but the actual killers are the administrative failures of Professor Charles Chukwuman Soludo, the state governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, General Christopher Musa, the Nigeria Chief of Defence Staff, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police and the local government area chairman or mayor and accused them of incompetence in managing security matters in the state and the country at large, while the Anambra State Police Command Spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, who also joined the campaign, said, the campaign walk was not only about Fish Magnet but a bold statement collectively made by Anambra youths in solidarity and in support of the efforts of the security agencies in the state against killings and other crimes.
After the protest, VeryDarkMan stated in a post that: “am glad I found this online and like I clearly said FiSH MaGNET WaS KiLLED By ChUKWUMA ChARLES SoLUDO. He WaS KiLLED By PrESIDENT BoLA AhMED TiNUBU. ….ReST In PeACE My NaME SaKE “MaRTINS Onyekesi ifesinachi.
Dear @fishmagnett, you sent me a dm and I didn’t see it, even if I had seen it I wouldn’t have responded because I have other priorities and a lot of issues going on and I always think people gift me things to have me advertise for them so I don’t accept gift, when I saw your post on Tunde Ednut page I actually commented something funny to let you know I saw it, you are Gone now and I sincerely wish I had collected the fish from you.
…..I will like to also beg Nigerians to support his business so his legacy continues. It should not be a case where because he is no more and then people will stop the patronage, the office and business is still operating, follow @fishmagnett. They deliver nationwide. LOL I finally did the advert for you and you won’t even see it….rest on king my namesake”.
Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State Police Command Spokesperson, in a post, also said: “It was a Walk for Peace: A Stand Against Violent Crime
The youths of Anambra came out in their numbers in a symbolic walk for peace, a collective stance against violent crime. It was not just a march for Fish magnet, it was a show of solidarity with the Nigeria Police and other security agencies, a bold statement to condemn all forms of criminality.
Together, they echoed a clear message: Enough is enough. Criminals can no longer be allowed to terrorize Anambra State and the South-East region. The time has come for unity, vigilance, and community-driven action for a safer Anambra”.
Anambra State Association of Town Union, ASATU, Youth President, Comrade Ken Okoli, as well as Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Patrick Aghamba, were also at the event with almost all the protesters dressed in black and black, matched from Aroma junction in the state capital to the Fish Magnet factory in Awka.
The protest did not take place without an earlier warning issued against VeryDarkMan by the police. The Nigeria Police Force had in a statement said; “the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, fwc MNIPS PhD has issued a stern warning to social media influencer, Mr Martins Vincent Otse popularly known as VeryDarkMan, cautioning him against making statements or taking actions capable of inciting tension or breaching public peace within the State.
The CP noted the decision of the family of the late Mr. Ifesinachi Onyekere, Managing Director of Fish Magnet outlet, to publicly dissociate themselves from any proposed or ongoing candlelight procession or memorial gathering being organized in his name. They therefore pleaded that they should allow the family to grieve privately while trusting the authorities to do their work.
The CP emphasized that Anambra State remains one of the most peaceful in the region due to the sustained efforts of the Police and other security agencies, in collaboration with critical stakeholders. He stressed that no individual, regardless of social status, would be allowed to disrupt the existing peace and security architecture of the State.
CP Orutugu urged residents and visitors alike to go about their lawful duties without fear, reaffirming the Command’s commitment to maintaining law and order. He further advised social media users and public figures to exercise restraint and avoid spreading misinformation or making inciting remarks.
The Command further warns that anyone found undermining public peace, either online or offline, will face the full weight of the law”
We had reported that the Anambra state government under the leadership of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has said that the state is currently in search of justice over the killing of a young and creative fish farmer, Martins Ifesinachi Onyekesi, well known by his business name as Fish Magnet, who was reportedly shot on the leg while being kidnapped on Sunday 27th July 2025, at his residence in Ezinifite village, Okpuno in Awka, the Anambra state capital, this, Dr. George Moghalu, the Labour Party Candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state said that Anambra State is no longer safe, adding that, people are being killed, slaughtered for their families to bury in silence while the state governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo looks the other way, with no sympathy, condolence visit or statement, specifically, Moghalu said; “I must speak frankly, Anambra is no longer safe, Not even in the state capital, Our people are being slaughtered, kidnapped, and buried in silence while the government looks the other way, This is not leadership, It is abandonment, Just recently, we lost over ten lives in a ghastly accident at Amichi, Nnewi South Local government area, yet there was no statement, no condolence, not even a visit from the state government, Instead, we see street renamings and political endorsement rallies, Where is our conscience?”, Moghalu stated while the former lawyer to Nnamdi Kanu, the detained Biafra agitation leader, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor said the people of the state are currently romancing with crimes, hiding criminals, and painting absurd narratives on social media to glorify and justify the rising crimes in the state, saying, “the most frightening part, the reckless energy our own people expend defending these killers, When you shield murderers because they are your kinsmen, you embolden them, When you justify kidnappings under the guise of “ethnic pride,” you leave the gates wide open for the real external aggressors, like armed herdsmen, whose invasion will come when we are weakest and most divided”.