An assistant superintendent of police, Ifeanyi Henry, is in custody for causing panic at Aba Central Police station where he pulled a gun and began shooting sporadically.
Henry ran amok, Hollywood style, at Okwu na Uka Street and St Michael’s Road, linking the main gate of the station when he suddenly pulled his pistol and began shooting sporadically, assaulting women, children and store owners.
It was learnt that the incident began around 7pm Saturday when ASP Henry started manhandling women, children and store owners close to the station for no reason and without any provocation.
Abia police spokesman, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said Henry was currently in custody.
“The Nigerian police is a very disciplined organisation. And there are laid down procedures in handling the issue of any erring officer irrespective of his rank and cadre.
“I condemn the actions of the police officer and I have to tell you that he is in custody right now and he will be treated departmentally,” Ogbonna said.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that Henry was seen with his pistol which he fired severally, battering and assaulting people including wives of his fellow police officers who own shops very close to the Aba CPS gate.
One of the women who sells roasted chicken, yams and plantains had all her goods thrown into the gutter by the ASP, who also destroyed her kiosk and beat her up mercilessly.
It was gathered that at first, some passers-by wanted to attack him when he was manhandling the woman who sells roasted chicken, but only withdrew when they discovered he was a police officer in mufti.
Daily Trust gathered from witnesses that throughout the incident, everyone believed that the ASP was under the influence of drugs, as he repeatedly scared fellow police officers with his pistol and ran after and beat whoever he saw to beat them.
The matter worsened when he stopped shooting in the air and began aiming directly at people only for his pistol to jam.
He bent over to fix the jammed pistol when mobile police officers around rushed in to disarm him.
As they were taking him quietly into the station, Henry caused another scare by grabbing an AK-47 rifle held by one of the officers in a bid to continue his shooting spree.
It took the intervention of the mobile police officers who repeatedly heat him hard in the arm before the let go of the gun while they bundled him inside the police station.
After the incident, the adjoining streets around the Aba CPS became deserted while some persons who suffered several losses and injuries were seen crying and treating themselves close to the Aba General Hospital that is adjacent to the station.
