There was tension in Imo State on Wednesday after operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and Ebubeagu Security Network reportedly engaged in a gunfire exchange.
Reports reaching OsunDailyNG revealed that the chaotic incident happened at the Imo State Ministry of Justice Secretariat.
According to Leadership, the incident resulted in a stampede as a result of workers scampering to safety during the shooting between the security operatives.
Scores of people were reportedly injured in the incident. A source quoted by the news platform said: “An operative of the Ebubeagu group was being bullied by a group of policemen near the state’s Attorney General’s office. Apparently, he smartly notified his colleagues.
“Almost immediately, other operatives of Ebubeagu appeared from nowhere and engaged the policemen in a gun battle. They started shooting sporadically in the air, but nobody was shot.
“It was in a bid to avoid sustaining gunshots by the workers that a stampede resulted at the secretariat that led to some sustaining various degrees of injuries”, the source who pleaded anonymity said.
He narrated that the policemen had accused the Ebubeagu operative of overstepping his boundaries and usurping the job of the police command.
OsunDailyNG learnt that the chaotic situation on Wednesday happened in a bid to address the issue.
Reacting, however, the spokesperson for Governor Hope Uzodimma, Oguwike Nwachuku explained that there was no attack by unknown gunmen at the state secretariat as stated in some quarters.
He explained that it was a case of Police operatives trailing a suspect in a case in order to effect his arrest in an alleged crime when some gunshots were released in the air.
“There was no such incident involving unknown gunmen as it is currently being peddled at some quarters. It was an attempt to effect the person’s arrest that the police fired warning shots at the Secretariat.
“Members of the public are therefore advised to ignore any information linking the incident to unknown gunmen as there was nothing of such,” Leadership quoted Nwachuku.
