The operatives of Ebubeagu Security Network (ESN) at the Imo State Secretariat, engaged men of Imo State Police Command in a gun battle, causing a stampede in the secretariat.
An eyewitness stressed that scores of unsuspecting Imo workers were injured while scampering for safety and running away from the sporadic gunshots between the two security outfits.
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According to an eyewitness account, “an operative of the Ebubeagu group was being bullied by a group of policemen near the state’s Attorney General’s office. Almost immediately, other operatives of Ebubeagu appeared from nowhere and engaged the policemen in a gun battle. They started shooting sporadically in the air. Although, no one was shot.
“As a result of this, there was a stampede at the Secretariat that led to some workers sustaining various degrees of injuries.”
A worker at the secretariat said the policemen accused operatives of the Ebubeagu of over-exercising their powers and usurping the job of the police command.
He said, “It started with a little argument when a policeman accosted the Ebubeagu operative of over-using his power, and it soon degenerated to a fight and shooting of guns.”
Meanwhile, the government of Imo State has debunked news of unknown gunmen attacking Imo workers at the state secretariat during working hour.
The chief press secretary to the governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, in a release, said what was witnessed at the secretariat was the police trailing a suspect in a case in order to effect his arrest over 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,” he said.