Police, Cultists Clash Leaves 2 Dead In Aba

BY CHIMA ODIAKA – A fierce shootout involving the Nigeria Police and suspected cult members has left two persons dead at Ndiegoro Community in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.

Reports indicated that the suspected cultists had gone on a rampage, blocking a police patrol team from the Ndiegoro Division in the area and the development led to a shootout between both parties.

The reports said the ensuing gun duel saw two of the cultists shot dead with a police inspector from the Ndiegoro Division losing his life in the process.

According to Police sources, the suspected cultists that confronted the officers in the shootout were members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

It was further gathered that aside from the dead Police Inspector, the hoodlums, who lost two of their members in the gun battle, also injured other security personnel.

One of the sources stated that unfortunately, the cult group members escaped with one AK-47 rifle, belonging to the slain police inspector.

A police insider said; “The Police officer, who was killed by the hoodlums was on routine patrol duty with his colleagues on Umuanyogu Street, Iheorji Ohanku Road, Aba when the hoodlums, numbering over 200 and chanting war-like songs about Biafra, blocked their Patrol van and started shooting without any provocation.

“It is sad that when Police personnel are killed, nobody talks about it but when a citizen, who attacked the Police dies in the act, people suddenly come for the Police, calling them all sorts of unprintable names.”

However, a resident of the Iheorji community said the incident occurred when some police officers from the Ndiegoro Police Division were allegedly extorting money from motorists and some drug dealers in the area before disagreement broke out, leading to unrestrained altercations and the eventual shootout by the two contending sides.

The resident further recalled; “Remember that this same incident happened in 2018 in the same Ndiegoro Division when a police officer was killed and police came to Ndiegoro areas like Okojombo, Ntueke, and other streets burning properties and destroying lives.

“They usually come to invade criminal drug areas here and collect money. But when they have disagreements, it usually leads to such unfortunate killings, and this particular one, I learnt was between them and some Aro cultists, who we know have taken control of the Ndiegoro area for some years now.

“This place is under-policed. Only one police station oversees the whole neighbourhood in Aba. What do we expect? Why must Ndiegoro Police Division be having such problems all the time? Something must be done and urgently too.”

Contrary to the account by some residents of the area, the Abia Police Command Public Relations Office, Geoffrey Ogbonna, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said the hoodlums were suspected members of the notorious ESN that have been terrorizing the people and the community