The incident occurred near Enugu headquarters of the NSCDC, after the driver of a bus which had barely left Enugu New Market, refused to stop and sped away as the NSCDC men chased him in a Hilux van.
Commercial bus drivers and other sympathisers, particularly natives of Ngwo town, where the passengers were reportedly heading for before they met tragic end, who led a protest at the office of the NSCDC around New Market, were repelled by heavily armed operatives who barricaded the road leading to the office and shooting into the air.
It was gathered that other operatives of the security agency, boarded a tricycle to join in the chase along Milikin Hill Road, which is bordered on both sides by a deep valley. The vehicle reportedly went up in flames, after the civil defence officers shot at it, causing it to veer off the road and crash into the valley.
Punch reported that a witness who refused to identify himself, claimed that the driver of the commercial bus had refused to give the NSCDC a bribe before they started chasing the vehicle.
“The incident happened because the driver refused to give them a bribe when they stopped him. They went after him, shot at the vehicle and seven people lost their lives,” he said.
