The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Nnanna Ama, on Thursday, summoned the Area Commander and all Divisional Police Officers serving within Onitsha, following the shooting incident that occurred at the Head Bridge of the River Niger.

🇳🇬 Here's What Happened

It was gathered that the meeting formed part of the CP’s ongoing efforts to strengthen operational supervision, accountability and professionalism within the command, particularly in Onitsha, one of the state’s major commercial centres.

Recall that five persons are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals in Onitsha following the shooting incident that occurred at the bridgehead in the early hours of Wednesday.

The incident reportedly happened after a trader was stopped by some police officers when he was going to waybill some drugs. The police officers pursued him and fired at him after he refused to stop.

📌 Key Details

According to eyewitnesses and traders near the scene, the police officers attempted to arrest him over the drugs he was carrying, during which he was shot, adding that the development led to chaos and pandemonium in the area.

“The shooting sparked a riot in the market and led to a standstill of both vehicular and non-vehicular movements at the bridge. The police officers fired sporadically to create a passage for their escape as the situation escalated, thereby injuring some other persons who were later rushed to the hospital,” one of the eyewitnesses said.

However, one of the victims of the shooting, Obiora Nweke, who narrated his ordeal at the hospital on Thursday, said he was at the market loading vehicles when he saw two persons dragging one another by their clothes.

Nweke said, “I moved closer to inquire about what was happening, only for a man in mufti, who identified himself as a police officer, to bring out a gun and shoot me in the leg.

“While I was trying to ask why I was shot, I lost consciousness and was subsequently brought to the hospital.” Some of the victims of the incident. Credit: Ikenna Obianeri.

Another victim, Friday Osisi, who sustained a head injury, said he was attempting to calm the situation when he was hit on the head with a stone.

📰 Source: Punch Nigeria