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Abia Police Shootout: How Officers Mistakenly Shoot Each Other for IPOB Members

Published by Tope Fakinlede on August 18th, 2024.

Abia Police Shootout: How Officers Mistakenly Shoot Each Other for IPOB Members

Police in Abia State, southeastern Nigeria, are investigating an incident in which officers reportedly exchanged gunfire after mistakenly identifying each other as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The confusion occurred on Wednesday in the Alaoji area of Aba, the state’s commercial center. According to reports, a shootout broke out between two police patrol teams—one from the Police Area Command in Aba and another from Umuahia, the state capital.

Witnesses suggest that the operatives from Umuahia, who were traveling in commercial buses, were misidentified by their Aba counterparts as IPOB members. The misunderstanding led to a gunfight, causing panic among shop owners and passersby at the Alaoji Motor Spare Parts Market, located along the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.

During the clash, a truck driver was struck and killed by a stray bullet. The shooting ended when the officers realized their mistake and were involved in a heated exchange.

In response to the incident, police spokesperson Maureen Chinaka stated on Thursday that an investigation is underway. “Our preliminary findings do not support the claim that officers mistook each other for IPOB members,” said Chinaka, an assistant superintendent of police. “What we can confirm is that there was a shooting in the area resulting in the death of a

civilian.”