The police in Abia State, south-east Nigeria, say they are investigating a report that claimed some police operatives exchanged gunfire after mistaking themselves for members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Premium Times reports that there was confusion on Wednesday around Alaoji Area of Aba, the commercial hub of the state, when some police operatives reportedly opened fire on themselves. It is reported that the shootout occurred between police patrol teams from Police Area Command in Aba, and another police team from Umuahia, the state capital. Residents claimed the operatives appeared to have mistaken themselves for IPOB members in the area.
It was learnt that the incident occurred because operatives from Umuahia operated in commercial buses, prompting their colleagues from Aba to mistake them for the separatist group. It is reported that during the shootout, shop owners around Alaoji Motor Spare Parts Market and passersby scampered for safety to avoid stray b¥llets. The market is located along the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway in the state. A truck driver was k+lled by a stray b¥llet during the encounter. It was learnt that an altercation ensued after the operatives realised that they were all police officers.
However, the police spokesperson in the state, Maureen Chinaka, while reacting to the incident in a statement on Thursday, said police authorities are investigating the incident. “From our preliminary investigation, there is no credible evidence to suggest that police officers mistook themselves for members of IPOB and fired at each other,” Ms Chinaka, an assistant superintendent of police, said. “What we can confirm is that there was a shøøting in that area, which resulted in the d3ath of a civilian,” she stated.
