The police in Abia State, South-East Nigeria, have launched an investigation into a reported incident where police officers allegedly exchanged gunfire after mistakenly identifying each other as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Confusion Over Mistaken Identity
On Wednesday, a chaotic scene unfolded in the Alaoji Area of Aba, a major commercial center in the state, when two groups of police officers reportedly opened fire on each other.
According to information obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the shootout involved a police patrol team from the Police Area Command in Aba and another team from Umuahia, the state capital.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the officers appeared to have mistaken one another for IPOB members.
The confusion reportedly arose because the officers from Umuahia were using commercial buses, leading their colleagues from Aba to misidentify them as members of the separatist group.
The incident caused panic among shop owners around the Alaoji Motor Spare Parts Market and nearby passersby, who fled the area to avoid stray bullets.
The market is situated along the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.
Tragically, a truck driver was fatally struck by a stray bullet during the exchange of gunfire.
The situation reportedly de-escalated after the officers realized they were all on the same side.
In response to the incident, the state police spokesperson, Maureen Chinaka, issued a statement on Thursday confirming that police authorities are conducting an investigation.
“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 shooting in that area, which resulted in the death of a civilian,” she stated.
The police spokesperson has encouraged anyone with valuable information about the incident to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.
IPOB, the group advocating for an independent Biafra from the South-East and parts of South-South Nigeria, has been associated with several fatal attacks in these regions.
