The residents of Umuahia, Abia State capital are now living under tension following the shooting of three people on Akanu Ibiam Road also known as Bank Road in the capital city. The incident happened at about 9:30 am in the morning, and according to an eye witness who said they were shot close to the Diamond Bank near the Abia State Government House gate.

The eye witness said that two of the three who were shot died instantly while the third was fatally injured. He said that the soldiers after their action took the corpses and the injured away in their truck. It was said that those who were shot were said to be wearing black which the army took to be IPOB uniform. The incident has sent panic to residents as shop owners quickly locked their shops, while most vehicles especially commercial operators also had to pack leaving passengers stranded.

The Nation observed that most of the banks operating around that area have all closed shops, while at the First Bank on Akanu Ibiam road, customers were seen outside the bank premises and on inquiry one of the bank security said, “We have closed for the day”. At the Afaraukwu, the home of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, panic stricken residents have locked their shops and residential gates, while the entire area looked deserted.

Reports from Aba, the commercial center of the state, say that there was shooting in the city resulting in the death of many people. It was also reported that the Ariaria Police Station in Aba was razed down, a report the PPRO, DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed. As a proactive measure, the policemen barricaded the gate of the command headquarter diverting the traffic to one lane. The previous day, the city was calm but early Thursday morning troops poured into the capital city in trucks and vans/pick ups.