ABIA: Gunshots rock Abia as police move to forestall likely attacks by hoodlums

THERE may intelligence report that hoodlums are planning to attack public facilities in the state as Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, was literally turned into a garrison town today.

Policemen and other security operatives kept firing gunshots repeatedly into the air forcing vehicular and human activities to a halt for hours.

The repeated gunshots were heard around Bata junction in Aba Area Command of the Nigeria Police Station and other parts of the city.

Though reasons for the gunshots had not yet been ascertained, it was however gathered personnel of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) office of the Commissioner of Police, attached on reinforcement smashed and destroyed cars belong to private and commercial transport companies and owners.

According to the nation newspape not less than 15 vehicles were smashed by the CP SWAT Squad.

At the popular Aba General Motor Park located at Milverton, security operatives reportedly forced people to raised their hamds while passing through the area.

Shops at popular phone market at St. Michael’s road, including Hospital and Jubilee roads were forced to close for business.

Cars were also barred from accessing the roads leading to the Aba Area Command as the police authorities, using improvised metals, mounted road blocks on the road.

The roads leading to the Aba Correctional facility (located close to Aba Area Command) was closed to traffic in a proactive measure to forestall any attack on the facility.

A resident of Jubilee said some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, numbering five, asked them to close their shops to avoid being caught in the web of any possible unrest.

A source around Ama Ogbonna area said: “We learnt that some personnel of SWAT came to arrest someone at Ama Ogbonna area.

“They said that they were attacked. While the said attack was on, the police personnel were said to have called for reinforcement. Their colleagues, on arriving at the scene, started damaging vehicles and shooting sporadically into the air.

“The incident caused confusion as many ran for their safety. Some of the youths and car owners angered by the situation, blocked the Azikiwe Axis of the Eziukwu road to protest the police brutality.”

Abia State shares border with Imo State which has recently become a hotbed of violence and unrest as public facilities are attacked with reckless abandon by hoodlums.

The security threat in Imo had forced the Aba state government to declare curfew in Aba and Umuahia two days ago.