BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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A PROTEST staged by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over the prolonged detention of Nnamdi Kanu, their leader, turned bloody on Tuesday, February 9, in Aba, Abia state.
The Nation reports that 10 people were killed and another 20 were injured as a result of the clash between the protesters and security agencies.
According to unconfirmed reports, more than 30 IPOB members are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Aba, while another 20 have been arrested by the police.
An IPOB official who pleaded for anonymity said that the protesters gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers.
“In the morning, we gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers and address by the Aba coordinator
“While the prayers were on, we noticed police patrol vans and because we locked the gate, they could not enter. They attempted to scale the fence, but could not. Shortly after, soldiers came in Hilux vans and scaled the fence.
“When they entered, they asked for our coordinator but we resisted them. The next thing we heard was gunshot. I can’t say how many died because there was a stampede as people tried to escape,” he said.
He claimed that the security agents arrested the group’s coordinator in Aba identified as Ikechukwu and some of his colleagues.
He, however, said that no amount of killings or intimidation would discourage the IPOB from pursuing its cause. He disclosed that the protest would continue on Friday, February 12.
When contacted, Ezekiel Onyeke, the spokesman of the Abia State police command, said that he was yet to be briefed on the incident.
Meanwhile, a source at the 144 Battalion at Ukwa West denied the allegation that soldiers shot members of the IPOB. He revealed the arrested protesters had been handed over to the police for further investigation.
— Feb 10, 2016 @ 13:58 GMT
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