A group of armed police officers on Sunday night allegedly ransacked Delatinos a popular nightclub in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
Enraged at being denied entrance for violating rules, the officers allegedly opened fire and hauled tear gas into the clubhouse causing a pandemonium, which left several people injured and needing urgent medical attention at Federal Medical Center in Umuahia. They also left a trail of destruction of property running into millions of naira.
According to eyewitness report, the confrontation began when the police officers attempted to enter the premises with meat purchased from outside.
A bouncer stopped them, citing the establishment’s policy against bringing outside food into the club. The officers left, but returned with a truckload of armed men and launched an attack, assaulting staff and guests while vandalizing equipment within the facility.
“This is totally uncalled for; so many people enjoying their evening were caught in the rampage.
“We had so many injuries and destruction of property in the wake of this senseless attack,” said the eyewitness.
The motive behind the police action remains unclear, and efforts to get an official statement from the Abia State Police command did not yield result.
