There was tension in Onitsha on Sunday following the discovery of a truck fully loaded with live bullets.
Security operatives immediately beseiged the commercial city to scare away perceived invaders.
It was gathered that the truck fully loaded with cartons of live bullets fell into a ditch along the street, spilling its content.
The incident happened at the Awka Road in the morning as worshipers made their way to church.
A source who confirmed the incident said: “The truck fell, and the entire street was full of bullets. Some boys even scooped some with their hands and ran away, before security people arrived the scene.”
The source said the driver of the truck and his truck attendant abandoned the truck after the accident occurred, disappearing to unknown destination.
But another source said the driver was arrested by the police.
“The incident attracted heavy security presence to the Awka Road area and Shoprite axis of the city this morning. The police first arrived the area before soldiers came. They later brought a tipper, and used payloader to scoop bullets into the tipper.
“The Tipper had to make three trips to carry all the bullets to unknown destination before the truck was finally towed out of the ditch,” the source stated.
Meanwhile, Anambra Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed there was a lone accident at the spot.
On the cartons of bullets allegedly being conveyed by the truck, he said he had not been properly briefed on the situation.
However, he assured investigation had commenced into the matter, promising to get back to the reporter.
But a Senior Police Officer, who spoke to newsmen in confidence, confirmed the incident.
He added the driver of the vehicle had been arrested and the lorry impounded, adding the conductor escaped.
‘We are going to get to the root of the matter. The conductor is equally being trailed. It’s a very difficult times for everybody and people have to be careful,” he said