Hell was let loose yesterday in Aba, Abia State, as soldiers and a team of mobile policeman engaged themselves in a fierce shoot-out over alleged assault on a policeman in the city.
Vanguard gathered that soldiers of the Forward Operation Base of the 144 Battalion, stationed at Ngwa High School, Aba, had confronted a MOPOL officer, who was riding on a motorcycle, on why he wore a camouflage, which they claimed did not belong to the police.
Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the soldiers, not satisfied with the response of the policeman, attempted to pull off the camouflage, but the police officer sprayed tear gas on the soldiers and a fight ensued.
The policeman, attached to the MOPOL 55, Aba, returned to his base where he mobilised his colleagues and stormed Ngwa High School to engage the soldiers.
In the ensuing melee, there was exchange of gunfire and one of the policemen sustained a gunshot injury.
A soldier, who declined to have his name in print, told Vanguard that the policeman refused to properly identify himself, when asked to do so, and a fight started.
Spokesman of Abia State Police Command, Onyeke Ezekiel, who confirmed the incident, said the injured policeman was receiving medical attention.
He said senior officers of both agencies had commenced investigations the fracas.
Vanguard gathered that soldiers of the Forward Operation Base of the 144 Battalion, stationed at Ngwa High School, Aba, had confronted a MOPOL officer, who was riding on a motorcycle, on why he wore a camouflage, which they claimed did not belong to the police.
Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the soldiers, not satisfied with the response of the policeman, attempted to pull off the camouflage, but the police officer sprayed tear gas on the soldiers and a fight ensued.
The policeman, attached to the MOPOL 55, Aba, returned to his base where he mobilised his colleagues and stormed Ngwa High School to engage the soldiers.
In the ensuing melee, there was exchange of gunfire and one of the policemen sustained a gunshot injury.
A soldier, who declined to have his name in print, told Vanguard that the policeman refused to properly identify himself, when asked to do so, and a fight started.
Spokesman of Abia State Police Command, Onyeke Ezekiel, who confirmed the incident, said the injured policeman was receiving medical attention.
He said senior officers of both agencies had commenced investigations the fracas.
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