Gunmen reportedly stole two guns from police officers conducting a stop-and-search operation in Aba, Abia State’s commercial nerve center.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night along Faulks road near Osusu junction in Aba North local government area, according to reports.
According to The Nation, while some reports claim the gunmen arrived in a Hilux SUV, others claim they arrived in a commercial tricycle, catching the on-duty police officers off guard.
The gunmen were said to have escaped with the guns after overpowering the cops.
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Residents and business owners in the area said the incident forced them to close their doors abruptly in order to avoid becoming entangled in the melee’s web.
According to The Nation, the state police spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, has yet to comment on the incident because he has not answered calls or responded to text messages.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has approved an immediate ban on commercial tricycle operators’ operating hours in the state.
Barr. Chris Ezem, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), said in a statement on Thursday that Ikpeazu had banned Keke operations from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily until further notice.
Ikpeazu, citing an increase in crime in the state allegedly committed by hoodlums operating commercial tricycles, directed security agencies to arrest, detain, and prosecute offenders.
