TheCable

Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), has deployed 500 police mobile force men to Aba, Abia state, to restore calm in the city.

Taiwo Lakanu, the assistant inspector-general of police (AIG) operations, disclosed this on Friday during a duty tour of the Aba police area command.

He said the mobile policemen have assumed duty on the instruction of the IGP.

“You can see that we have emplaced security and that the whole place is quiet and our men are on patrol,” he said.

“For now we are still monitoring. So, for now there is no problem. We are on top of the situation. We are working in tandem with other agencies and they are cooperating with us.”

NAN reports that peace is gradually returning to the troubled city which was embroiled in several clashes between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Some roadside shops along Aba-Owerri road, St Michael’s road and other streets, and those at Ariaria International Market and New Market — most of which were initially closed — opened on Friday.

TheCable reported that tension from the clashes spilled over to various parts of the country — including Rivers and Plateau states — resulting in skirmishes.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew has since been imposed in Abia and Jos.