 |
| View of central Owerri, Imo state's capital city |
OWERRI - Police on Monday shot dead three members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in Owerri and injured 60 others as they celebrated 44 years of the declaration of Biafra.
Ill-fated Biafra was declared a sovereign state by Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu on May 30, 1967, an attempt at secession which led to a civil war that lasted till January 15, 1970.
Apart from the killings on Monday, police also detained about 300 MASSOB activists in Owerri.
About 100 of their busses were smashed on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Maishanu.
Police intercepted the MASSOB members who came for the rally from different parts of the country at the Okigwe Road/Imo State University junction at 9 a.m. Monday as they awaited the arrival of their colleagues.
The anti-terrorist squad ordered them to leave, but as they scampered to enter their vehicles, the officers opened fire, killing two on the spot.
The third casualty was recorded on Onitsha Road, Owerri when another MASSOB group from Anambra State was entering the city.
An eyewitness said the anti-terrorist squad on sighting them in their buses opened fire, killing one of them.
The smashed buses littered the Okigwe Road/Imo State University roundabout. Some of the activists were tied hand and foot with ropes and left on the road with wounds.
 |
| Mr. Ibrahim Maishanu |
His words: “Our agreement was that they should gather at the junction and await the arrival of other delegates. So, while my members were gathering there, the police came and ordered them to leave, and as they were rushing to enter the buses and leave they opened fire.
“How can you do a thing like that? Whatever it is, you should allow the person to obey you. But they started shooting and killing because they’re Igbo.
"In the North, those people who have killed innocent National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members are going scot free. How many of them have been prosecuted?”
Uwazuruike asked President Goodluck Jonathan to take drastic action against the killers of MASSOB members, saying that their action is provoking MASSOB to retaliate through the force of arms against its non-violent posture.
First, Maishanu could not be reached on the telephone for comment.
Later he sent a text saying: “It’s a lie (that the police killed MASSOB members), that is their usual gimmicks and red herrings.”
Police Public Relations Officer, Linus Nwaiwu, said he was not aware that MASSOB members were celebrating 44 years of the declaration of Biafra.
Meanwhile in Ibadan...
In a separate incident, Ibadan was thrown into turmoil as members of the Oyo State National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) went on a rampage in which one person was killed, 10 were injured, and 60 vehicles vanndalised.The clash in Ibadan occurred at Iwo Road interchange 24 hours after the swearing-in of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who promised to address the intractable crisis in the NURTW.
Commissioner of Police, Adisa Bolanta, confirmed to journalists that 15 people have been arrested.
The clash was another in the series of factional struggles in the NURTW, and Bolanta promised that more of the trouble makers would be arrested.
He explained that the man killed had threatened policemen with a blood-stained machete.
In his reaction, Ajimobi asked the police to arrest all those involved in the violence.
A statement issued by the government promised to address the problems of garages and motor parks in urban centres, and to engage the NURTW and other stakeholders in the sector, to guarantee the safety and welfare of all road users.
‘’We shall respect the rule of law and will not tolerate any breach of public order. Only those who are ready to conduct their businesses in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility are welcome in Oyo State,” Ajimobi had said in his inaugural speech on Sunday.
He reiterated in the statement that the police should immediately apprehend law breakers bring them to book, no matter their status or connection.
still in need of some information? search this site:
LOVE THE ARTICLE ABOVE?
Receive Updates: subscribe to Imo Herald in a reader or sign up for Free Email Updates
No comments:
Post a Comment