Martins Olasehinde
At least two persons were feared killed and some others injured when local security operatives and policemen engaged in a gun fight that lasted several minutes in Nigeria’s southeastern state of Anambra.
The incident reportedly happened on Wednesday at the Izuchukwu Junction, Nnobi/Nnewi Road.
A vehicle also caught fire when bullets hit the fuel tank during the incident, thereby further creating panic within the area, local newspaper The Punch reported, citing eyewitnesses.
Some videos from the Wednesday incident went viral on social media.
“The incident happened last night (Wednesday). We just saw security operatives engaging one another in a gun battle and during the incident, two passers-by were hit by bullets,” a source said.
“No one knew the cause of the incident as people scampered to safety. Even, a vehicle was burnt down when bullets hit the fuel tank.”
Anambra State Police Command’s spokesman SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the local security forces took the police operatives for “unfriendly forces” and opened fire on them, thereby leading to the gun duel.
“The command is aware of the shooting incident that took place at Izuchukwu junction, Nnobi/Nnewi road by 7 pm on Wednesday 20/11/2024 where security operatives mistook the police operatives as unfriendly forces and opened fire at them,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
“However, the command wishes to emphasise that the attack on the operatives was not from non-state actors or any attempt to disrupt the burial of late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
“Preliminary information showed that security operatives on investigation trailed a suspect to a security checkpoint before the gun duel ensued.
“Unfortunately, bullets hit the fuel tank of the Toyota Venza Sedan carrying the men, and it was razed down. Two innocent passers-by were injured and taken to hospital. The command sues for calm to allow for investigations into the incident.”
Ikenga urged Nnewi residents not to panic, saying that Joint Security Forces have been deployed to ensure Nnewi is calm throughout the burial ceremonies of the late senator.