A mass murder was averted at Aba Central Police Station on Thursday night, when an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) ran amok and went on a shooting spree.
An eyewitness told Abacityblog.com – that the ugly incident began around 7: 00 PM when the ASP, identified as Henry started manhandling women, children and shop owners close to the station.
The ASP was seen battering and assaulting people including wives of his fellow police officers who own shops very close to the Aba CPS gate, as he fired several gunshots with his pistol.
“One of the women who sells roasted chicken, yams and plantains had all her good thrown into the gutter by the ASP, who also destroyed her kiosk and beat her up mercilessly”, the eyewitness told this platform.
According to him, “during the incident, people were said to believed that the ASP was under the influence of drugs, as he repeatedly scared fellow police officers with his pistol and ran after whoever he see and gave them the beatings of their lives.”
As if that’s not enough, “he stopped firing in the air and began aiming at people directly only for his pistol to suddenly cease temporarily,” the eyewitness added.
“Immediately the ASP bent to fix his pistol that ceases when he wanted to shoot directly at a shop owner, Mobile Police Officers around rushed and disarmed him.
“As they were taking him quietly into the station, the ASP caused another scare by grabbing an AK-47 rifle held by one of the Mobile Police Officers in a bit to continue his shooting spree.
“It took the intervention of the mobile police officers who repeatedly heat him hard on his arm before he left the gun while they bundled him inside the police station.
Meanwhile, our reporter who visited the place after the incident, reported that 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.
“So this is how I would have ended on earth? God, thank you. I will never die a careless death. I know I was never born to be killed like a chicken.
“Thank you Jesus for preserving my life. Who would have saved me if not you? Nobody is safe anymore. If a policeman can do this kind of thing to me, what are we saying again?
“What did we do to him? What is our offence? If blood is chasing someone, why must he want to waste more people? Who would have taken care of my children?
“For escaping alive, I’ll serve God forever,” a woman whom the ASP tried to shoot without success was heard shouting aloud after the incident.
Abia State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Geoffrey Ogbonna reacting to the incident said the officer is currently in police custody.
He said: “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.”
