Tension erupted in Onitsha on Sunday as Nigerian Army personnel allegedly opened fire on police officers returning from election duty in Anambra State, leaving several policemen injured.
According to reports, the incident occurred at a military checkpoint along Onitsha Road following a heated argument between soldiers and police officers who were part of the security team for the November 8, 2025, governorship election.
A police officer involved in the incident said, “On our way back from the Anambra election, we had a misunderstanding with Army personnel at a checkpoint. Before we knew it, they opened fire on us. One of us was shot in the chest, and several others were injured.”
He added that the situation quickly escalated into chaos, prompting calls for backup from nearby units.
About 45,000 police officers were deployed for the Anambra governorship election, which saw incumbent Governor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) declared the winner with 422,664 votes.
His closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured 99,445 votes, while Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 37,753 and 8,208 votes respectively.
