By Nurat Uthman
Ahead of the Thursday planned nationwide protest, there were sporadic gunshots in Owerri, the capital city of Imo State, on Wednesday, by suspected hoodlums, forcing residents to scamper for safety.
The situation which occured in the early hours of the day resulted in the residents including traders, and workers, scampering for their safety while gunshots continued to heat the wave.
The suspected hoodlums invaded the city and were left unchallenged by any security forces after unleashing their shootings.
The situation which lasted for some hours also occured at Akwakuma, Orji respectfully before the security operatives stormed the streets to confront them after they had left.
Traders who had just opened their shops for business were forced to lock up immediately while customers who had come out to buy food items for their families were forced to abandon their mission and run away to avoid being hit by stray bullets
Commercial bus drivers, eatery joints and business centres in the city were not left out as they equally locked up their businesses and ran away for their dear lives.
The situation left the entire streets of Owerri empty with all markets in the city closed.
The shooting occurred simultaneously within and in all parts of Owerri such as the IMSU back gate, Wethedral Road, Amawusa, Ikenegbu, Owerri Municipal, and Douglas Road.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, has said that the Commissioner of Police CP Aboki Danjuma has personally led men to the scene.
He said that the Command is on top of the situation, assuring that they will get the miscreants responsible for the attacks either dead or alive
Okoye encouraged Imolites to report any suspicious activities to the Police describing it as a trying time.
As of the time of filling this report, normalcy has returned in the city.
