Biafra protest turns bloody; ...9 dead, scores injured

The protest embarked upon on Tuesday by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, against the continued incarceration of Mr. Nnamdi Kalu the Radio Biafra Director, turned bloody at about 1.30 am early hours of Wednesday, after an encounter by the Joint Military Taskforce comprising, Army, Navy, Police and Civil Defense, who clashed at Niger Bridge Head with some members of the IPOB who vowed to continue their blockage of the bridge for three days until Kanu is released.

The encounter left about nine people dead, five at Niger Bridge Head, three at Obodoukwu Road, a Suya meat seller said to have been hit by stray bullet who died instantly.

Some protesters on hearing that some people have been shot dead by the joint Military taskforce went into another protest, marched to the Central mosque at near Onitsha Main Market and set it, a Hilux Pick Up van with federal Government number was also burnt.


The protesting IPOB members had blocked the Niger Bridge by grounded vehicular movement in and outside Onitsha.

The protest was allegedly aggravated when the Joint Military Taskforce who could not disperse them on Tuesday invaded the Niger Bridge at about 1.30 am Wednesday, and opened fire on the thousands of the IPOB members who refused to leave the Niger Bridge, the entry to South East, killing six people including the Suya seller said to have been hit by stray bullet.

The alleged killing of the IPOB members was said to have sparked off another protest by IPOB members who were joined by MASSOB members who made born fires along Onitsha Owerri Road and Onitsha Enugu Express way, forcing motorists coming in and out of Onitsha from both Enugu, Asaba, Owerri difficult to enter or exit.

Credit: Vanguard