Operatives of the Nigerian Police, Army, Department of State Security Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Ebonyi State Southeast Nigeria, Wednesday, staged a show of force exercise on major roads and streets in parts of the State capital.
The security agencies showcased their combat readiness, with residents of the city watching in amazement.
The exercise may have been an apparent response to a security breach that reportedly occurred in parts of the Abakaliki metropolis on Tuesday.
An unconfirmed viral video had shown suspected gunmen, allegedly enforcing the seven days sit-at-home order purportedly declared by a separatist group, IPOB.
A resident told ait.live that the gunmen had stormed markets at Ishieke and Ahiaofuru, suburbs of Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, in a commando style, firing shots into the air to disperse the traders.
The incident caused panic and chaos in the area, as well as within the metropolis, as people fled for safety.
The fear had spilled over to Wednesday, as some commercial banks and filling stations in the city did not open for business, leaving their customers stranded.
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But, addressing Journalists at the end of the Show of Force exercise, the Ebonyi Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, says the security agencies were determined to ensure adequate security of lives and property, urging members of the public to go about their businesses without fear of molestation.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
