Unknown gunmen numbering about three operating on motorcycles at about 8pm on Friday night opened fire at operatives of Ebonyi State seurity outfit, EbubeAgu Security Network, who mounted roadblock along the Hausa Quarters axis of the Abakaliki-Afikpo Expressway in Abakaliki, the State capital.
It was learnt that at least one person was shot by the attackers.
An eyewitness and a resident of the area who spoke to LEADERSHIP on the ground of anonymity, said that the gunmen stormed the checkpoint and immediately shot sporadically at the direction of the EbubeAgu operatives.
The eyewitness said that trouble started when at about 8pm, men of the State security outfit stopped a young man with a motorcycle along the Hausa Quarters Junction and impounded the motorcycle.
The eyewitness disclosed that the young man pleaded with the security operatives to let him go since he was just coming back from work and that he never meant to come back late but the securitymen insisted that he must give them some money before they will release his motorcycle.
“I stood there listening to their conversation. Suddenly the owner of the motorcycle shifted from their sight and started making calls. I overheard him telling the person he was calling that men of EbubeAgu impounded his motorcycle and were requesting money from him before they will release it to him.
“While he was still on the phone with the person talking, one Ebubeagu operative met him and told him that after making the call that he must give them money if not they will not release his motorcycle,” he explained.
He said that within an interval of 30 minutes, a group of boys with two motorcycles stormed the junction and opened fire on the men of EbubeAgu, a development that the operatives to scamper for safety.
He further said that other passers-by who were standing there trying to settle the dispute also ran for safety, adding that the gunmen and the bike owner immediately zoomed off in the mist of the confusion.
“I ran into an uncompleted building for safety. Few minutes later, both the men of the security network and other residents came out from their hiding places only to discover that a member of the security network was standing and holding his stomach.
“On a closer look, we observed that he was bleeding seriously at the belly. There was apprehension on what to do but his colleagues immediately carried him to an unknown destination,” he added.
Confirming the incident, the Security Consultant to the State government, Chief Stanley Emegha and the Sector Commander of EbubeAgu South-East Security Agency, Mr. Friday Ujor, said that more security operatives will be deployed to the location.
Credit: Leadership