By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri

There have been shooting within the premises of Shoprite in Owerri along Egbu road, by the police trying to scare away suspected angry youths said to be attempting an invasion.

Vanguard on Wednesday captured some of the youths in the adjoining streets within the Owerri Shoprite, but the police have been shooting in the air in a bid to repel the angry youths as one of the angry youths said that the police have shot teargas at them severally.

At the time of filing this report, hundreds of the angry youths have strategically positioned themselves within the Shoprite premises facing the police who are fully armed.

Recall that Vanguard had reported this morning that the Imo state police have taken over the security of Shoprite with the fear that there could be an attack in response to the continued attacks by South Africans on Nigerians and their businesses.

And that at the time of filing this report, Owerri Shoprite which usually opens at 09:00 am, was seen closed as vehicles were not allowed entrance.

Some of the staff of the company who were allowed into the venue were also subjected to thorough search before they could gain entrance.

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The policemen took over the security of the establishment, closed all the gates into Shoprite, as they only opened a narrow gate through which some persons were allowed access.

Vanguard met some customers at the gate of Shoprite who were stunned that it was still closed even as of 10 am.

One Christian told Vanguard that, “I don’t understand what these policemen are doing here. They should allow us entrance, we are not having any gun or stick that we can use to destroy Shoprite.

“Even if we want to do the security people, the police can’t stop us. We have several ways to do it and this Shoprite will burn completely.

“They are attacking Nigerians and killing us over there and they want their properties to be protected.”

Another young lady who claimed to be a student of one of the tertiary institution in the state, Blessing, said: “This is nonsense is it not our money that we want to come and spend here. The Federal government should do something about this.”

VANGUARD