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Owerri, the Imo state capital was Monday evening thrown into chaos, with residents fleeing on all sides following loud reports of sporadic gunfire along the Okigwe Road axis of the state capital.
While residents of the state capital were already in panic that another attack by unknown gunmen was happening in Owerri, findings by our correspondent indicate to the contrary, that it was a detachment of police operatives that had attacked the State Headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) along Okigwe Road, Owerri.
The apparently belligerent and combat-ready policemen attacked the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Michael Ogar who was on his way out of his Command when the Police team arrived.
Speaking to newsmen on the development, Ogar said the attack was in connection to a detained suspect, one Nonso Ezenwanne, who claimed to be a Policeman, but with multiple identification cards.
Ogar explained that his men earlier had a misunderstanding with Ezenwanne breaching the security of his motorcade while returning from the scene of the illegal refinery tragedy and oil bunkering site in the state on Sunday.
“After the misunderstanding, Ezenwanne trailed us to Owerri and blocked my motorcade again and brought out a pistol threatening to shoot us but he was later disarmed and arrested.
“I had reached out to the former Acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Giwa, to identify the suspect which is the norm, this yielded no result as I learnt that Giwa had been transferred to Kaduna. We didn’t see anybody to identify him immediately.
“It was on my way to see MOPOL 18 Commander, just about 10 meters away from NSCDC office, that I saw eight vehicles that blocked me and started shooting into the air and my vehicle.
“They dragged me out, flogged and bartered me, and later took me to their command where they continued to beat me with sticks and barton,” the Commandant said.
According to the Commandant, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations later came to his rescue after about three hours and then took him home.
“I came back to my office to see the extent of damage caused and then realised that two of my personnel got bullet injuries and were receiving treatment in hospital”, Ogar said.
He added that his official car vandalized and some exhibits parked around the office vicinity were damaged.
The attackers he said, also made away with his phones, pistol and an AK 47.
“I was highly disappointed and embarrassed by the action of MOPOL 18. I don’t think we are here to flex muscles or pursue work ego but to defend our fatherland”, Ogar said.
He however noted that the detained man was also taken away by the attackers during the incident.
Commenting on the incident also, the NSCDC Head of Operations, Deputy Commandant Benjamin Nwaokafor, who was receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, told newsmen that he woke up and found himself in the hospital after the incident.
“I was shot in my hand and left leg. I can’t move them now,” he said, while turning in pains.
