No fewer than three persons were reportedly killed following a
clash between Navy personnel and members of the Indigenous Peoples of
Biafra (IPOB) in Onitsha, Anambra State.
It was gathered that some members of Biafra were allegedly killed on
Sunday afternoon during a clash with the men of the Nigerian Navy at
Onitsha.
Though there were conflicting reports as regard the casualty figure
following the clash with IPOB members, who were said to be
evangelizing to the people about the actualisation of Biafra.
Some sources said as many as 10 persons were shot dead while other
sources said between three and five persons were allegedly killed
when the Naval officers from the Odekpe Naval Post but drafted to Uga
junction for on the spot check allegedly had misunderstanding that led
to the bloody clash near Premier Breweries Onitsha along the
Enugu-Onitsha expressway.
An eyewitness, who is also a member of IPOB, who pleaded anonymity
said several other of their members sustained injures following the
clash, saying that the dead bodies of their colleagues and the injured
were taken to the Borromeo Hospital in Nkpor, near Onitsha.
The source said IPOB members started the match from Mgbuka Obosi
through Owerri Road to Nkpor, then back to Upper Iweka and was heading
to Bridge head when a detachment of Navy personnel at Uga, Junction
allegedly attacked them, killing and injuring several members of the
group.
He said the IPOB members numbering about 3,000 remained calm in
the face of obvious provocation, insisting that nothing warranted the
unprovoked attack on the innocent people.
However, a top official of the group Daniel Nzekwe said that so far
about five of their members were killed in the attack, but stated that
he was still visiting the hospitals where injured ones were taken to
ascertain the actual figure of the dead members.
Meanwhile, All efforts to get the Commander of the Naval Post as his
number was not connecting while our reporter who visited their office
was told that he commander was not around to comment on the incident.
However, tension was building up in Onitaha, following the incident
especially eyewitnesses confirmed that the attack was unprokoked and
unwarranted. ENDS
No comments:
Post a Comment