No fewer than six members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Onitsha, Anambra State, were killed on Wednesday morning when security operatives allegedly shot at protesters, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries. This even as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, warned members of the Movement for the Survival of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and IPOB to stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the law.
Also, the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has appealed to the various groups protesting for the release of the founder of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, to maintain the peace in the state. The IPOB, which had been protesting in many cities of the South Eastern part of the country in the last couple of days were demanding the release of their leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The Daily Times gathered that the a combined team of Army, Police and members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had been deployed to maintain sanity at the point of the protest. Trouble started when one of the protesters reportedly set ablaze a Dangote truck which had threatened to defy the no movement ban by the protesters. The Daily Times also gathered that when the truck went up in flames, the security operatives, apparently thinking that the protesters were trying to take laws into their hands, aimed their rifle at the protester who set the truck ablaze. This made the security operatives to begin to shoot into the air.
It was also gathered that the protesters started chanting anti-Federal Government songs and throwing pebbles at the security operatives. In the ensuing melee, six of the protesters were shot dead, while others, while trying to run for dear lives, sustained varying degrees of injuries. While this was ongoing, markets and shops were immediately closed especially the Central market and the Ochanga market in the city.
