Tension has gripped Onitsha, Anambra State, following a violent confrontation between Nigerian Army personnel and police officers returning from election duty. Multiple police officers sustained gunshot wounds after soldiers reportedly opened fire at a military checkpoint.
According to eyewitness accounts obtained by The Legal Observer, the incident occurred along the Onitsha Road on Sunday, barely a day after the conclusion of the November 8 Anambra governorship election.
“While returning from our election assignments, we encountered some Army personnel at a checkpoint. There was a misunderstanding, and before we could comprehend what was happening, they opened fire. One of our colleagues was shot in the chest, and several others sustained injuries,” he said.
The situation reportedly escalated into a riot as the injured officers called for reinforcement and backup from nearby units.
The Anambra State Police Command and the Nigerian Army are yet to issue official statements on the confrontation as of the time of filing this report.
The violent clash comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner of the November 8 gubernatorial election. Soludo secured 422,664 votes, defeating Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 99,445 votes. Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came third with 37,753 votes, while John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 8,208 votes.
Security experts have described the development as a disturbing reflection of inter-agency tensions, urging immediate investigation to prevent recurrence.
