By Faith Adama
A mistaken clash between a local vigilante group and police operatives in Anambra State has sparked panic, leaving two injured and property destroyed.
The shootout, which occurred on Wednesday evening at Izuchukwu Junction along the Nnobi-Nnewi Road in Nnewi North Local Government Area, was reportedly due to miscommunication between the two security outfits.
Eyewitnesses revealed that the altercation unfolded around 7 p.m. when the vigilantes mistook plainclothes police officers pursuing a suspect for armed separatists.
In the ensuing gunfire, stray bullets hit a parked Toyota Venza, igniting it in flames, and injured two passers-by, who were rushed to the hospital.
The incident heightened tensions in the area, already on edge over alleged threats by pro-Biafra elements to disrupt the burial of late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, scheduled for Friday in Otolo Nnewi.
However, Anambra State Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, clarified in a statement that the clash was unrelated to the burial threats and stemmed from an ongoing investigation.
“Preliminary findings show the shootout began when officers on a mission trailed a suspect to a security checkpoint,” Ikenga stated, emphasizing that better coordination is needed to prevent such errors.
In response, a joint security task force has been deployed to Nnewi to restore calm and ensure the senator’s burial proceeds without incident.
The incident underscores the fragile security dynamics in southeastern Nigeria, where overlapping roles and mistrust among security agencies continue to challenge effective operations.
