Pandemonium reigned Aba and Umuahia, yesterday as End SARS protesters
killed two policemen at the dreaded Police Dragons squad at Omoba road,
Aba.
In Umuahia, EndSARS protesters who took over major roads in the city
resisted policemen from the Central Police Station, who kept firing
sporadic shots and teargas canisters.
In Aba, the protest took off from the Ariaria market end of Faulks road
through Okigwe and Azikiwe roads as the protesters bore placards with
inscriptions calling for an end to police brutality and demand for a new
and better Nigeria.
The protest was peaceful until it got to the Ogbor Hill area of the
city.
However, the protest, turned violent when the protesters got to the
Dragon Squad unit of the State police command who fired warning shots to
scare the protesters. Angered by the shots, the protesters killed two
policemen and burnt the Police station.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the protesters had earlier visited the
Aba Area Command and were addressed by some senior police officers. They
further visited Eziama police station, where they were also addressed by
some officers.
A policeman attached to the Dragon Squad who escaped the anger of the
protesters said he escaped attack through God’s grace.
“I was in the office when I heard a noise from the protesters and rushed
outside to know what the matter was all about. Before you could know
what was happening, everywhere was on fire and two of my colleagues were
killed.”
The protesters after razing the police station, blocked the Aba/Ikot
Ekpene road, causing heavy gridlock in the city with commuters and other
road users stranded.
Following the incident and the killing of policemen and carting away of
his arms and ammunition by yet to be identified hoodlums numbering over
30, at Azikiwe road, Monday night, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu has imposed a 24
hours curfew in the state.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi
Kalu, the government said; “After detailed review and assessment of the
general security situation, including reports of armed cultists and
hoodlums sneaking into the state from different parts of the country in
large numbers, the burning down of at least two police stations,
reported killing of two policemen in the last two days as well as leaked
plans to unleash more violence on innocent citizens, Gov. Okezie
“Ikpeazu has directed security agents to ensure the immediate arrest and
prosecution of the hoodlums, pursue a swift and complete recovery of the
stolen arms and ammunition with the necessary vigour, and ensure the
cultists are comprehensively flushed out. To ensure the continued
security of lives and property of law-abiding citizens, the Governor has
also directed the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on Aba and Umuahia from
6pm today till further notice.