Biafra: 10 IPOB members shot dead in Aba, 30 injured, 45 in Police net
Thu Feb 11, 2016 09:21:am National
3K By sosa hills
The protest carried out yesterday by members of the indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Aba, Abia State, over the prolonged detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, turned bloody in the commercial town, as a team of soldiers and policemen was said to have fired shots at the protesters, killing 6 members of the group and arresting 20. Other reports say ten persons were killed while another 20 were injured.
Reports says soldiers in 30 trucks invaded the National High School on Port Harcourt Road, Aba, the venue of the group's prayer meeting.
Survivors of the attack told newsmen that the pro-Biafra members had gathered at the school from where they planned to embark on a protest march to several parts of the city against the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the casualty figure would have been higher had some of the protesters not escaped, explaining that, "the protesters as usual, gathered at the school to pray before taking off, but soldiers and policemen invaded the area. There was heavy shooting. I saw more than three dead people. Many others were injured."
The Nation also reports that the protesters gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers before their plan was aborted, quoting a source, who said: "In the morning, we gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers and addressed 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."
It was learnt that the soldiers arrested dozens of IPOB members and took them to the Police Area Command headquarters at about 5pm.
An IPOB official, who pleaded anonymity, said that over 30 members who sustained bullet wounds and other degrees of injuries are receiving medical treatment at various hospitals in Aba.
At the time of filing this report, the Army Public Relations Officer, 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Major Sidney Mbaneme, could not be reached for comments. But the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ezekiel Onyeke, confirmed the incident but insisted that only two people were killed during the shooting.
Reports says soldiers in 30 trucks invaded the National High School on Port Harcourt Road, Aba, the venue of the group's prayer meeting.
Survivors of the attack told newsmen that the pro-Biafra members had gathered at the school from where they planned to embark on a protest march to several parts of the city against the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the casualty figure would have been higher had some of the protesters not escaped, explaining that, "the protesters as usual, gathered at the school to pray before taking off, but soldiers and policemen invaded the area. There was heavy shooting. I saw more than three dead people. Many others were injured."
The Nation also reports that the protesters gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers before their plan was aborted, quoting a source, who said: "In the morning, we gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers and addressed 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."
It was learnt that the soldiers arrested dozens of IPOB members and took them to the Police Area Command headquarters at about 5pm.
An IPOB official, who pleaded anonymity, said that over 30 members who sustained bullet wounds and other degrees of injuries are receiving medical treatment at various hospitals in Aba.
At the time of filing this report, the Army Public Relations Officer, 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Major Sidney Mbaneme, could not be reached for comments. But the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ezekiel Onyeke, confirmed the incident but insisted that only two people were killed during the shooting.
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