Douglas road, the commercial nerve center of Owerri, the Imo State capital, was thrown into panic on Thursday as policemen attached to a First Bank branch on the street clashed with an Airforce officer who was at the bank for transactions.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the clash started when the Airforce officer, who is now hospitalized, came to make use of the Automated Teller Machine, but one of the police officers guarding the bank allegedly resisted him.
He said that the police officer denied the Airforce officer access to the ATM because he was bearing a firearm.
According to the eyewitnesses, the Airforce who was in a military camouflage resisted the police officer immediately.
An argument ensued which denigrated and led to a fight.
In the process, the Police officer allegedly shot the military officer.
The colleague of the shot Airforce officer regrouped and immediately stormed the bank premises which led to a free for all fight and shooting into the air sporadically by the police officers and the Airforce personnel.
It took the combined efforts of senior police officers and military police officers to calm the situation.
The shot Airforce officer was rushed to the hospital, where he was said to be recuperating.
The First Bank branch where the incident occurred was shut down immediately, as armed policemen cordoned off the area.
When contacted for comments, the state Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, said that he had yet to be briefed.
He added that he was busy with the programs about the killing of the most wanted kidnap kingpin, Henry Chibueze, popularly known as Vampire.
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