ABA—The protest embarked on by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over the prolonged detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, turned bloody in Aba, Abia State, as a combined team of security agents, comprising soldiers and policemen allegedly fired shots at the protesters, killing six members of the group and arresting 20. Also in Enugu, the Police in the state yesterday, arrested 25 members of the IPOB, who had gathered at the Naira Triangle in preparation for a protest march. Vanguard gathered that the protesters had, as early as 9am, converged at National High School, along Port Harcourt-Aba road, from where they usually march to other areas of the city when security agents swooped on them. Sources said the IPOB members were in prayer session when the soldiers and their police counterparts invaded the area and arrested some leaders of the group. In the confusion, several protesters were injured while 10 were feared dead. Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the casualty figure would have been higher had some of the protesters not escaped. According to them,“the protesters as usual, gathered at the school to pray before taking off, but soldiers and policemen invade the area. There was heavy shooting. I saw more than three dead people. Many others were injured.” The situation caused tension in the area as shop owners and residents scampered to safety. Motorists avoided the stretch between Crystal Park Hotel junction and National High School in order not to be caught in the crossfire. An IPOB official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the security agents arrested the group’s Aba Coordinator identified as Ikechukwu and some of his assistants. The official, who disclosed that 20 IPOB members were being detained by the Police, insisted that they would not relent until their detained leader is released as well as the actualization of an independent state of Biafra, adding that the protest would continue until Friday. At the time of filing this report, over 30 members of the group were reportedly receiving attention at various hospitals in the city. When Vanguard visited the area, stern looking soldiers and policemen were seen at strategic positions while a convoy over 30 patrol vans later took the arrested protesters away. Contacted on phone, spokesman of the Abia State Police command, DSP Ezekiel Onyeke, told Vanguard that he was yet to be briefed on the incident. Enugu protest The protest march which they had tagged “mother of all protest marches” was nipped in the bud by security agents who stormed the venue where they were trooping in numbers. The Naira Triangle was almost covered with a sea of heads when the security operatives struck and dispersed them. Canisters of tear gas were shot at the gathering which snowballed into physical show of strength between the IPOB members and security agents. But for the application of extreme professional caution by the security agents, the fracas could have resulted in many loss of lives. Although many of the IPOB members sustained injuries, many took to their heels as the police released shots of tear gas into the crowd. The media and publicity officer of IPOB, Emma Powerful decried the attitude of the security agents towards its members, saying the group is not a violent group and were assembling for a peaceful protest march. Groups condemn killings Detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu in court, yesterday. Civil society organizations in Abia State under the auspices of Abia Human Rights Agenda yesterday condemned what it described as the killing of defenceless protesters in Aba.
The group called on the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Buratai and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase to cause investigation into the dastardly acts and prosecute those found culpable, to serve as a deterrent to others. Addressing newsmen in Aba, the group; Foundation for Environmental Rights and Advocacy, FENRAD; Society for Economic Rights and Social Justice, SERSJ; Human Rights, Justice and Peace Foundation, HRJPF; among others; contended that over 15 persons have lost their lives in pro-Biafra protests in the city, describing the situation as unacceptable and called on security agents to respect the rules of their engagements. Spokesmen for the groups, Nelson Nwafor, Innocent Nwokocha, and Cassius Ukwugbe, described the killings as the height of human rights violations by those who are paid to protect lives and properties, asserting that the killing of unarmed citizens is a heinous crime against God and humanity. According to the CSOs, “Over 10 people lost their lives during the protest against the detention of the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. Several others sustained various degrees of injuries as security agents clashed with protesters. Security agents must restrict themselves to the rules of their engagements in crisis situation.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/biafra-6-ipob-members-shot-dead-in-aba-30-injured-45-in-police-net/

Nawah ooo. I just pray this people don't turn violent.

malele:
Nawah ooo. I just pray this people don't turn violent.

I pray too.


Lalasticlala, obinoscopy.

Let peace reign in Nigeria
Release Nnamdi Kanu for them before it turns something else

if this killing continue like dis...then i fear for Nigeria, cos this is nt the right way to handle this ipob issue.

This guys need weapons, pm me if you are a Ipob member here.. Its about time.

Qelvin:
This guys need weapons, pm me if you are a Ipob member here.. Its about time.

Are biafrans not Nigerians?

By changing the name, flag, map.. Do u think anything will change.?

It'll just b a smaller sect of greedy, selfish basterds.

It will not get better.

May GOD Help Us In Jesus Name .. Say Your Amen With A Like !

Hmmmm

The Biafran movement is going to get more intense as Nigeria will get more unstable, corrupt, and ineffective

That bullet did not cause that injury it is a flesh wound more like a cut.

How can you prove those pics are not those of lynchings

Bubu should call his boys to order na, IPOB. Protesters shud chill too! Na by force to gain independence? Or na by force to marry Igbos wit d rest of Nigerians? foolish protesters! Stewpid sojos and police! *slams d door*

When did those innocent dead lads become boko haram?

Those cannibals can't even dare boko haram but they can easily borrow "strong heart" to dare innocent youths.

I pity Nigeria.

seriously serious they should please stop protesting naw

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Just Imaging those useless ones committing suicide..

Please don't quote me with anger..

Only quote me if you are part of the drama which lead to the death of this criminal..

If you are not involve in that drama, you are such a reasonable person who have a brighter future..

But if you are not there and you are supporting this criminal, then you are leading a fellow human being to the wrong path which I think is a sin..

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4 wot reason for Gods seck

While kanu maybe alive to tell the story of biafra, his fellowers may not live to see it. it is like people will die everyday he goes to court so let his sitting be once in six months and whoever that shot these men are wicked and the dead men stupid

This is bad news.

What's this biafran stuff all about Dividing a country that is not one? A country that still need all the help it can get? Nigeria is not strong enough for this division please

Haven't they protested enough? Can't they tell when they've been pushed to the wall? Isn't it time to push back? You don't push back with a protest, you push back with a fight. Let them get this done once and for all. Isn't it better to die fighting, than to die protesting?!

SirJeffry:
When did those innocent dead lads become boko haram?

Those cannibals can't even dare boko haram but they can easily borrow "strong heart" to dare innocent youths.

I pity Nigeria.

Don't pity nigeria, do pity 4 Biafra agitators,Ipob & the s.east areas/communities that harbors these groups as if they're out 4 any genuine curse other than ' political sabotage.nigeria ve learnt a lesson from BH.eg shiite,ipob

This ain't none of my biz .
The protest is 22 years late.
Remember June 12?
The dead were counted in 100s

jmichlins:
While kanu maybe alive to tell the story of biafra, his fellowers may not live to see it. it is like people will die everyday he goes to court so let his sitting be once in six months and whoever that shot these men are wicked and the dead men stupid

so u want the government to repeat the same mistake that watched BH to horns?.u never see anything.