Two persons are feared killed at Izuchukwu junction, Nnobi/Nnewi road, following a shoot-out between security operatives in the area and a team of police operatives on another mission in the area.
The heavy shooting rocked Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area of the State at about 7 pm last night, ahead of the proposed burial date of late Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented the Anambra South Senatorial Zone.
The shooting also resulted in the setting ablaze of a vehicle, thereby creating panic in the area.
It also generated insinuations among the residents, who attribute the gunfire to unknown gunmen who were alleged to have vowed to disrupt Senator Ubah’s burial ceremony proposed to kick off in Nnewi, his hometown, on Thursday.
While some eyewitnesses also linked operatives of the Nigerian Army to the gunfire, some of the videos from the scene show the bodies of two young men suspected to have been killed during the attack lying at the scene.
But in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday concerning the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, clarified that the shooting was not from non-state actors and had no connection with Senator Ubah’s proposed burial.
According to him, the shooting was a result of mistaken identities, as some security operatives in the area mistook the police operatives as unfriendly forces and consequently opened fire at them.
The statement read: “The Command is aware of the shooting incident that took place at the 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.
“However, the Command wishes to emphasize 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 shows 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.
“Meanwhile, Joint Security Forces have been deployed to ensure that Nnewi is calm throughout the burial ceremonies of the late Senator.”
