Pro-Biafra protest turns bloody in Aba as Ten people were killed and another 20 were injured

A protest staged by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the prolonged detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, turned bloody on Tuesday, February 9, in Aba, Abia state.

The Nation reports that 10 people were killed and another 20 were injured as a result of the clash between the protesters and security agencies.

According to unconfirmed reports, over 30 IPOB members are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Aba, while another 20 have been arrested by the police.

An IPOB official who pleaded for anonymity said that the protesters gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers.

“In the morning, we gathered at Ibo National High School for prayers and address by the Aba coordinator

“While the prayers were on, we noticed police patrol vans and because we locked the gate, they could not enter. They attempted to scale the fence, but could not. Shortly after, soldiers came in Hilux vans and scaled the fence.

“When they entered, they asked for our coordinator but we resisted them. The next thing we heard was gunshot. I can’t say how many died because there was a stampede as people tried to escape,” he said.

He revealed that the security agents arrested the group’s coordinator in Aba identified as Ikechukwu and some of his assistants.

He further stressed that no amount of killings or intimidation would discourage the IPOB from pursuing its cause. He added that the protest would continue on Friday, February 12.

When contacted, Ezekiel Onyeke, the spokesman of the Abia state police command, said that he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

Meanwhile, a source at the 144 Battalion at Ukwa West denied the allegation that soldiers shot members of the IPOB. He revealed the arrested protesters had been handed over to the police for further investigation.

Vanguard reports that on the same day Enugu police arrested 25 members of IPOB, who had gathered at the Naira Triangle in preparation for a protest march tagged “Mother of All Protest Marches”.

The march was nipped in the bud by security agents who stormed the venue where the protesters were trooping in numbers.

As a result of the physical show of strength between IPOB and security agents, many protesters sustained injuries. Many took to their heels when the police released shots of tear gas into the crowd.

Emma Powerful, the media and publicity officer of IPOB, blasted the security agents for their attitude towards protesters. She stressed that IPOB is not a violent group and its members were gathering for a peaceful march.

Meanwhile, civil society organizations in Abia state under the auspices of the Abia Human Rights Agenda condemned “the killing of defenceless protesters”.

The group called on the chief of army staff, Major General Tukur Buratai, and the inspector general of police, Solomon Arase, to launch investigations into the events and prosecute those found culpable.

Speaking with journalists in Aba, the group lamented that over 15 people lost their lives in pro-Biafra protests in the city and described the situation as unacceptable.

“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,” the group said.

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Drama As Nnamdi Kanu Arrives Court, Refuses To Remove Handcuff And Come Down From Van

Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and operator of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu on Tuesday morning arrived the Federal High Court Abuja for the commencement of his trial, but refused to come down from the prison van. 

This led the prison officials to call his lawyer, Chuks Mouma, who after much persuasion was able to get Kanu to came down from the vehicle. He however refused to take off the handcuffs on him even while being led to the courtroom. 

The Department of State Services, DSS, had arraigned the embattled Director of Radio Biafra before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the same court on a six-count charge of treasonable felony but the matter could not be continued following Kanu’s vote of no confidence on Mohammed. Following Kanu’s vote of no confidence on the judge, the matter was brought before Justice John Tsoho.

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Nnamdi Kanu: Ex-Militants Threaten To Blow Up Hijacked Ship With Foreign Crew

A group of ex Niger Delta Militants has hijackrd a ship off the Bakassi Peninsula coast line and threatened to blow it up with its foreign crew if detained Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is not released

The group, which said it was in support of the agitation for the creation of a Biafran state, gave the Federal Government a 31-day ultimatum to release Kanu or it would be forced to carry through its threat.crew if detained Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is not released.

Also, the group, in a Saturday statement in Port Harcourt through its spokesman who identified himself as General Ben, said it might not wait for the expiration of the 31-day ultimatum to carry out its threat.

He said: “We cannot wait till the end of the 31 days to tell the Federal Government that we are serious. The vessel and the crew are under custody.

“And any noise, any delay from government, we will blow up everything. We will blow the vessel and everybody in the vessel will go down. “We are not interested in the country that owns the vessel. What we know is that the vessel was coming to Nigeria to lift oil. We are not interested;; once it is blown up, let the country and Nigeria resolve the matter.

“We are in touch with everything happening around the IPOB leader.

“Now, court has denied him bail, saying because of his dual citizenship, he might jump bail. We also heard that the judge said he would rather give the matter an accelerated hearing.

“This is provocative; hence we did not waste time to go into action. We are in support of the Biafra struggle.

“We will not retreat or surrender. The federal government might have taken our ultimatum as an empty threat. But, we will surprise them,” the statement read.

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Treason: Court To Decide On Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail Application Friday

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed  Friday January for ruling on the bail application brought by the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Mr. Kanu and two others are charged with treason. The court yesterday heard legal arguments over his bail application. Prosecution counsel Mohammed Diri argued that the application put up by the defense does not satisfy the requirements of the Evidence Act.

He urged the court to consider the weighty evidence against the accused, including a statement in which he admitted that he was a British citizen; that he sneaked into Nigeria without a passport, and that he was the operator of Radio Biafra in London, and asked that the application be refused.

Objecting, the defence counsel, M.U Udechukwu, told the court that the document being cited by the prosecution has not been admitted by the court in evidence, and that the prosecution therefore lacks the right to make reference to it before the court.

 He argued that there are procedures to be followed before such a document can be admitted as an exhibit, and therefore prayed the court to grant the defendant bail as the offense committed is not a capital offence.

Earlier, a mild drama ensued in the court premises when Kanu was brought in handcuffed, but refused to come out of the prison vehicle because of the press cameras.  His co-accused, who were also in
handcuffs, had already alighted.

An alternative entrance in the back of the court was eventually found and Kanu was ushered into the court through the elevator that is normally reserved for judges.

A similar drama followed the hearing when Kanu, exchanging greetings with friends and relatives, was reluctant to move towards the elevator as demanded by prison officials, pointed warning fingers at them and dared them to hurt him.

The situation nearly led to fisticuffs before it was brought under control and he was led into the prison vehicle.                       
Kanu is standing trial on six of treason preferred against him by the federal government.

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Nnamdi Kanu transfered to Kuje prisons

The Federal Government, yesterday, arraigned the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, before a Justice James Tsoho led prosecution at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on a six-count criminal charge bordering on treasonable felony.

In the charge, the Federal Government alleged that the accused persons committed treasonable felony by spear-heading an illegal agitation for the seccession of ‘Biafra Republic’ from Nigeria, an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The Federal Government alleged Nnamdi kanu, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi. were accused of managing the affairs of IPOB, which it described as ‘an unlawful society.’

But after the accused persons pleaded innocence to the charge, yesterday, Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri. who is personally prosecuting the case for the government, applied for them to remain in custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, pending the determination of the case against them.

Diri insisted that it would be more convenient for the prosecution to produce the accused persons to court from the DSS detention facility for trial than from Kuje prison.
He cited security reasons, saying that anything could happen on the way while bringing the Mr Nnamdi Kanu to court from the prison.

He said “‘The nature of the offence and the response of friends, relatives and sympathisers of the defendants that we have seen, particularly when the case was before the Magistrate’s Court, is what has prompted this application.

“I have no personal interest against the accused persons. I am only doing my job as the prosecutor and the DPP of the federation,” Diri said.

But Nnamdi Kanu counsel, Chief Chuks Muoma, opposed Mr Diri application. He stated that his client would rather prefer to be remanded in prison custody than a DSS facility.

At the end after listening to both parties, Justice James Tsoho, over-ruled the DPP and remanded the Mr Nnamdi Kanu in Kuje prison.

He said  ”’I have given due consideration to arguments by the two counsels. It is my respectful view that after arraignment, the appropriate and constitutional pace for remand of an accused person is the prison except when there is an extra-ordinary reason.

”It is my view that the complainant have all it takes to provide logistic and security requirements not withstanding the distance between the prison and the court.

”Therefore, application for remand of the defendants in DSS custody is refused. Accordingly, the defendants are hereby remanded in Kuje prison pending trial.'''

The matter was adjourned till next Monday to entertain arguments on whether or not to release the accused persons on bail pending hearing and determination of the charge against him. 

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DSS to ‘secretly execute’ Kanu and Some DSS co workers ------ IPOB alleges

Nnmadi Kanu exchanging words with the DSS during one of his court sessions

Biafra Pro group (The Indigenous People of Biafra) IPOB has raised a serious allegation of the DSS planing to assasinate Mr Nnamdi Kanu and some workers of the DSS who are now having sympathy towards Nnamdi Kanu.

The statement which was published on the website of a popular Biafra media organization (Biafra Herald) alleged that Nnamdi Kanu, its leader, is being tortured in detention by the Department of State Services (DSS), with the final aim to “secretly execute” him alongside others.

It went further to explain that Mr Nnamdi Kanu is seriously sick (from ulcer) and needs urgent medical attention which both his lawyers and pregnant wife have complained about.

It says and I quote "The director of DSS and Buhari are planning to kill some Igbo-Biafrans working for the DSS in other to secretly execute Nnamdi Kanu,”.

“For months now reports have been coming to us on how Nnamdi Kanu is been tortured in the dungeon of the DSS. Nnamdi Kanu is reported to be very ill and needs urgent care and treatment but the DSS on the order of Buhari have refused to grant him any treatment. 

“Some Igbo-Biafrans who are members of the DSS have expressed their displeasure and showed sympathy towards the animalistic manner Nnamdi Kanu is being treated which has led to Buhari and the director of DSS secretly plotting ways and possible manners to murder them.

The group also went further to warn President Buhari to release him (Nnamdi Kanu), and also to stop torturing him saying any harm done to him, will result to a war Nigeria can’t handle. 

He said “We are calling on all IPOB members to get ready for action as instructions will be given by our deputy. We are calling all coordinators to start mobilizing all IPOB members and be on alert.” 

READ ALSO: Drama in court today as Nnamdi Kanu tells Judge I Have No Confidence In This Court because the Federal Government wants me at all cost - (PHOTOS AND VIDEO)

Info 247 Plus spoke with the UK trained lawyer representing Nnamdi Kanu, Mr Vincent Obetta,via social media, but he failed to state the present medical condition of his client. 

He said “I don’t know his present condition or state of health because they (DSS) have refused to give me access to see him. I have made every effort to see him since 23rd of December, but I have not been given access. 

"So, I don’t know his condition now. If he is being tortured, I don’t know, but I got the rumour that he is being tortured. I am still pressing to get access to him.” 

READ ALSO: Court declares Nnamdi Kanu Innocent and free from all charges levelled against him by the Federal Government

You will recall that in December 2015, Adeniyi Ademola, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, had ordered the release of Kanu unconditionally, but surprisingly the DSS failed to comply with the order. 

Instead, it filed a suit against him before Ahmed Mohammed, another judge, at the federal high court, Abuja.

READ ALSO :Judge exempts self from hearing treason charges against Nnamdi Kanu

But in a twist of tidings  Ahmed Mohammed withdrew from the case after Kanu refused to take his plea. 

Kanu is accused of treason, ownership of unlawful society and illegal possession of firearms. 

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