Awka, Anambra State Capital on Tuesday, stood still in grief as hundreds of youths converged for a candlelight procession in honour of Martins Ifesinachi Onyekesi, the young agropreneur fondly called Fish Magnet, who was recently brutally murdered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
The solemn gathering drew tears, chants, and clenched fists, with social media activist and influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), leading the crowd in demanding justice.
The procession was also attended by the State Commissioner for Youths, Patrick Aghambra, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, the State Youth President of ASATU, Ken Okoli, among other dignitaries.
TNC reports that from Aroma junction where the assemblage started, the procession moved through the streets of Awka, to the business premises of the Fish Magnet along Ring Road Awka, as the crowd chanted anti-insecurity songs and comments.
Addressing the teeming crowd that came out for the procession, VDM accused the Anambra State Government, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and political leaders of being responsible for the death of the young entrepreneur.
He accused the government of failing to protect the lives of ordinary citizens.
“We say that it is criminals that killed Fish Magnet, but in the actual sense, it was the government, President Bola Tinubu, Charles Soludo, the local government chairman, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the political leaders that killed him.
“Because we pay our tax, and this country is so rich. Why can’t they protect the citizens?
“They move about in bulletproof cars, surrounded by armed escorts, while ordinary youths like Ifesinachi are left vulnerable,” VDM said.
He called on the State Commissioner of Police, CP Orutugu, to launch a full-scale investigation and ensure the killers are brought to justice, describing Ifesinachi’s death as “a stain on the conscience of the state.”
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Youths, Aghamba assured that the government is intensifying efforts at restoring security in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), in the state, SP Ikenga, commended the peaceful nature of the rally, noting that all participants complied with law and order.
TNC correspondent gathered that the deceased, who was born the only son in a family of female siblings, began his fish farming journey in 2015, and his big break came during the COVID-19 pandemic when his innovative farming techniques and business drive earned him the nickname Fish Magnet.
Friends and business associates described him as disciplined, humble, and deeply committed to his craft.
However, confidential sources revealed that he was set to marry early next year and had plans to expand his business with his life partner.
Tragically, those dreams were cut short on the night of Sunday, 28th July 2025, when he was kidnapped and later killed.
