The troops of the Operation Python Dance II allegedly invaded the household unit of measurement domicile of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, inwards Afaraukwu, Abia State, around 5:00 p.m. yesterday. The palace of Kanu’s father, Eze State of Israel Kanu, who is the traditional ruler of the Afaraukwu community was destroyed.
The whereabouts of Kanu, his manly somebody nurture too his woman nurture during too later on the invasion were non made known.When a telephone telephone was pose to the family, a younger blood brother of Kanu, popularly called Fine Boy, confirmed the incident merely did non comment on other matters. He invited interested journalists to come upwards to the theatre too take away keep pictures of how the invaders destroyed the chemical compound too desecrated the traditional ruler’s palace.
Residents of the area, who spoke on status of anonymity, said the soldiers on arrival shot sporadically for nearly xl minutes that the invasion lasted.A resident said that other residents were contemplating non spending the nighttime inwards their homes around the Kanu’s domicile for fearfulness of a fresh invasion inwards the night.
But when contacted, the police push clit spokesman inwards the state, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the control was unaware of the invasion. The spokesman of the xiv Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ohafia, Major Oyegoke Gbadamasi, referred journalists to brand their question through dedicated telephone lines.
Earlier yesterday, 2 persons said to live members of IPOB who wore the group’s outfits were reportedly shot dead along Bank Road inwards Umuahia, spell some other somebody sustained bullet injuries spell coming out from the nearby branch of Zenith Bank.
Both incidents occurred around 10:00 a.m. Eyewitnesses said members of the Operation Python Dance 11, later on the shootings, speedily took the bodies of the victims too the injured somebody away.Before the incident, scores of IPOB members were said to live marching along Akanu Ibian / Bank Road, less than 100 meters to the Government House gate singing too bespeak to know where the soldiers were. This, according to the eyewitnesses, prompted the shootings past times the soldiers who were really close.
It was also learnt yesterday that the Ariaria International Market Police Station inwards Aba was burnt. The police push clit spokesman, Ogbonnaya, who confirmed the Aba police push clit station incident, said in that location was no human casualty.Markets, banks too other commercial houses equally good equally the Central Police Station, Umuahia shut for line organisation too the streets of Umuahia were deserted.
The invasion was carried out shortly later on Governor Ikezie Ikpeazu announced that soldiers would live withdrawn from the streets of Aba too Umuahia from today equally part of steps to curb rising violence too clashes betwixt the safety agents too members of IPOB.
Ikpeazu, who announced this inwards a disputation he personally signed, said he would shortly come across alongside President Muhammadu Buhari to reveal ways of relaxing the Operation Python Dance xi inwards the state. He warned that authorities would no longer tolerate vehement demonstrations too devastation of holding past times anyone.
The disputation read: “The safety province of affairs inwards Abia inwards the past times few days, which led to the deployment of soldiers into our province ahead of the Operation Python Dance 11, has locomote of non bad concern to both the authorities too the citizenry.
“After several interventions, I desire to inform you lot that past times tomorrow morning, in that location volition live withdrawal of soldiers from the streets at Aba too Umuahia, apart from the pre-existing armed forces checkpoints at diverse locations inwards the state.
“With the expected locomote out of soldiers from the streets, nosotros must warn that nosotros volition non tolerate agitators too protesters taking over the streets for whatever argue at all.”The governor condemned attacks on police push clit stations too armed forces posts at Aba too Umuahia too warned against acts that are capable of causing insecurity inwards the state.
“We take away keep also observed illegal acts of throwing petrol bombs too setting upwards of bonfires to obstruct gratis movements along some roads past times suspected miscreants too warn that such acts should halt forthwith.
“To mischief makers who desire to role Abia equally their base, I denote to you lot that henceforth, Abia volition live besides hot for you lot to acquit out your wicked acts equally the authorities volition function alongside safety agents to ensure the protection of lives too holding inwards the province without fearfulness or favour.”
Ikpeazu warned hoodlums too miscreants, some of whom were allegedly brought into the province past times unscrupulous individuals, to burn downward the Ariaria International Market to cripple the economic scheme of the province too crusade widespread suffering.“It was this grouping that originated the rumours of attacks too counter- attacks around the expanse too also tried to create panic to strength people out of their homes to enable them to execute their evil intentions nether the encompass of orchestrated crises.
“We take away keep it on skillful ascendance that the same grouping of hoodlums attempted to burn downward down the police push clit station at Ariaria marketplace early on today too safety agents are currently on the hunt for them too those exterior the province who are sponsoring their evil actions. Not fifty-fifty 1 of them volition escape the sum weight of the law”, the governor said.
Ikpeazu said members too sympathisers of IPOB should desist from spreading faux rumours capable of throwing Abia into disorder. The chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, urged the Federal Government to straight off convene a coming together alongside leaders of the agitators, maxim that alone the unity of the field could atomic number 82 to development.
Musa cautioned the authorities against the excessive role of strength to quell people’s agitation against marginalisation.“The reaction past times the soldiers against IPOB members is saltation to happen. What is necessary at nowadays is for the Federal Government to sit down together alongside them too resolve this problem. The authorities should telephone telephone all the secessionist groups across the province alongside a stance to addressing the agitation for secession past times those who felt marginalised inwards Nigeria.”
Musa advised that all Nigerians live enlightened that in that location is no demand to locomote to some other war. “It is unheard of that those agitating for the creation of Biafra are fifty-fifty flight the flag of such province inwards the country. This is what made it secession. And no province tin tolerate such.
“There is evidence of marginalisation against the east. For instance, in that location was a fourth dimension no Igbo homo was inwards the safety services inwards Nigeria. When Buhari’s authorities came into office, in that location were 2 instances when he did non appoint whatever Igbo homo inwards his kitchen cabinet. And when they complained to him, he said they didn’t elect him. Marginalisation against the south-east tin live proved,” he said.
The CNPP boss urged south-east governors too their leaders to suggest Kanu to negotiate alongside the Federal Government.Meanwhile, IPOB lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has defendant the armed forces authorities of deliberately provoking IPOB to resort to arms struggle.
In a alive radio programme inwards Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday, Ejiofor stated that rather than take away keep upwards arms, IPOB would locomote on to resist provocation. “We know the people who are attacking them. They are all over the place. Certainly non the northerners or Hausa inwards Port Harcourt,” he said.
He stated this inwards a reaction to the claim past times the Rivers State police push clit control too the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) that IPOB members unleashed the violence that erupted at Oyibo town leading to the expiry of a police push clit officeholder too wanton devastation of holding belonging to northerners.
The lawyer said IPOB members were non responsible for the Oyibo violence. He charged victims of the violence who are mainly northerners to contact the police push clit to investigate the incident. According to him, IPOB members are non at state of war alongside northerners or anybody living inwards Port Harcourt.
Besides, the Nigerian Army has commenced an investigation into video clips trending online alleging humiliation of innocent citizens inwards Abia State past times soldiers.
A disputation yesterday past times the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Col. Sagir Musa, said the investigation was alongside a stance to ascertaining the source of the video too its actors fifty-fifty equally it promised to apply necessary sanctions against its men if industrial plant life guilty.
Guardian