By Chinwe Onwosi
Tension heightened noon of Wednesday, October 21, 2020 in Ebonyi state when Hoodlums under the the guise of EndSARS Protest in Abakaliki metropolis, burnt down two police stations located in Ekeaba and Kpiri Kpiri respectively.
The Voice gathered that a number of police officers were injured in the clashes as protesters who numbered over 100 and were clad in scanty cloths moved in their numbers chanting war songs while attacking the town.
Eye witness account reports that the thugs while being watched by security personnel, including soldiers, who had been deployed round the city as early as 6 a.m attacked Kpirikpiri police station, where they set ablaze a car, the charge room and another office before they were repelled.
The hoodlums after the burning down of Kpiri Kpiri station, moved to the Abakaliki Prisons but the Military officers quickly condoned attempt to break a section of the fence hosting the female section of the Correctional Centre to avert jail break.
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However, when the protesters visited the Ekeaba police station, the place was empty as policemen had on hearing of their coming fled the station for fear of attack.
Smoke could be seen billowing up into the sky from at least three different locations in the state capital as this reporter tried to move around the city.
There was uproar in the city as people were running for their lives while shops owners quickly closed shops and ran home.
Also, Banks in all the major areas of the Abakaliki metropolis shutdown to avert destruction of their properties by the protesters.
Gunshots were heard around the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital and Abakaliki Prison axis.
It was not clear who was firing the shots but the special assistant to the governor on security, Anakor Nchekwube, in a statement, warned residents to avoid certain parts of the city.
“Security alert, everybody in the capital city should avoid Ogoja road by Vanco, Kpirikpiri area, Uga street, Ejiofor, Nsugbe and Waterworks road for now as the security agency are trying to put situation under control. Stay safer,” he said.
Mr Anakor said no security official was killed.
