*As Protesters seize Soldiers’ Rifles
It was a bloody day in Aba , Abia state as Soldiers of the 144 Battalion, Nigerian Army, shot dead an apprentice, Chidozie Okafor and five members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) over the protest against the detention of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi kanu in the city.
The Soldiers accompanied by Policemen stormed National High School, located along Port Harcourt road where pro Biafra protesters usually converge to launch protests to other parts of the city and fire tear gas to disperse them. In the confrontation, a protester was gunned down by the soldiers. An eyewitness told 247ureports.com that the soldiers lost two rifles in the incident.
According to the eyewitness,” Two soldiers were beating a protester and in the confusion, their rifles dropped on the ground, the boys picked it and ran away. This infuriated the soldiers and they started arresting and beating up anybody in sight.”
The protesters regrouped at the Aba main park area where the erected bonfires at Asa, Azikiwe and St. Michaels roads as well as adjoining streets. When soldiers stormed the area to disperse them, they started hauling stones on the soldiers who responded by firing live bullets which killed Okafor and injured over 30 others.
The situation created heavy panic in the city as shop owners hurriedly shut down and fled while a section of the soldiers in full battle gear, mounted guard at No.1 Port Harcourt road, Azikiwe / Asa road and Park road junction and forced passersby to raise their hands while passing through the area. Markets, banks, motor parks and other business centres were shut as the security agents and the protesters engaged each other.
An IPOB official who declined to have his name on print, accused soldiers and police of creating tension by killing defenceless protesters. According to him, “the protest was peaceful until soldiers and policemen started firing guns and tear gas. This is not the first time we are doing protest, have you seen this kind of killing and using live bullets on innocent people? They killed 5 of our members and arrested over 20. We cannot be deterred; the protest will go on until they release our Director, Nnamdi Kanu from detention. At least, I’m happy they saw that though we are not armed, but certainly not afraid of soldiers or policemen.”
When contacted, Abia state Police Commissioner, Joshak Habila, said he had been in Aba, denied that Police used live bullets to control the protest, stressing that the Police had always conducted its operations in a coordinated manner to ensure that lives and properties are protected.
He reminded the pro-Biafra groups of the ban on public protests in the state and warned that anybody arrested would face the full wrath of the law.
247ureports.com gathered over 20 pro Biafra protesters and residents were arrested by the Police during the protest.
