There was pandemonium in some parts of Enugu State capital yesterday as unidentified gunmen stormed the popular Obiagu Council Bus stop in the Ogui New Layout, holding residents’ hostage. The shooting lasted for about 20 minutes.

The gunmen, who wore police caps, were also said to have operated with police rifles just as passersby and residents in the ever busy Council area scampered for safety as bullets rained in what looked like the movies.

At the end of the shooting, one person was found dead just as the gunmen snatched two vehicles with which they made their escape.

The shooting reportedly continued along the Bisalla Road, Independence Layout as the rampaging gunmen tried to find an exit point.

The deceased who was simply identified by his nickname, ‘Ayaka’, was said to have received a telephone call few minutes before the assailants arrived.

A young man who runs a joint at the Council Bus Stop in Obiagu, popularly known as Ogboko narrated how the shooting started.

“The shooting started as I was offloading water from the boot; as I tried to run, one of them asked, ‘where is the key?” I dropped my car keys for them and ran for my life; but they had problems with my car and abandoned it only to snatch a Sienna and Corolla as alternative,” he said.

Some residents expressed shock that while the shooting lasted no police team, “not even the Ogui Divisional Police, which has become notorious with the raiding of innocent citizens at beer parlours in the area, could come to the rescue of scared residents.”

But the Enugu Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu (DSP) said the police arrested one of the gunmen.

He said the police were still on the trail of the others and would soon arrest them just as he urged residents to be calm as the Command was doing everything possible to beef up security to guarantee safety of lives and property in all parts of the state. (Daily Sun)