Na security agencies attack us
Five persons including two officials attached to the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and three members of the outlawed pro-Biafra group, Indigenes People of Biafra (IPOB), reportedly died on Sunday in Emene, Enugu following a bloody clash between members of the two groups.
Several other persons also sustained injuries while an unspecified number of IPOB members were allegedly arrested by the police while attempting to flee the area.
The Guardian gathered that Emene was tense for a greater part of Sunday as police flooded the area, restricting the movement of persons and vehicles as they combed the area in search of IPOB members.
It was learnt that trouble started at about 9.00 am, when machete-wielding members of the group allegedly gathered at the St Patrick’s Community School compound, along the old Abakaliki road to conduct a “combat training for new members.”
The information about their gathering was said to have filtered to operatives of the DSS, who stormed the venue to stop the exercise from taking place.
A heated argument was said to have ensued leading to a free for all with both camps using different objects against each other
The Biafra campaigners were said to have overpowered the DSS operatives and made it to a nearby Emene Police station, chanting solidarity songs.
A source stated that, though some of the officials of the DSS had guns they could not fire at the rampaging members of the group, “because they were not permitted to apply force on the group”.
“It was while attempting to gain entrance into the police station that about a dozen patrol vans loaded with well-armed security agents, made up of Police, Army and DSS moved into the scene and started shooting at them”, the source said.
It added that in the ensuing confrontation, sounds of gunfire and teargas fumes filled the axis between St Patrick Secondary School and St Joseph Catholic Church, stressing that some residents who were already on their way to church for the morning service could not continue for fear of being hacked.
Occupants of the area were said to have scampered to safety. The streets were vacated as the security operatives continued in their raid in the area.
One of the accounts of the incident stated that while the IPOB boys were running, the bullets fired by the security operatives caught and killed three members of the group. They were said to have fallen flat beside the gutters in the pools of their blood.
A security source said, “We lost two of our men and that is because they were not given instructions to fire at the group when they got there. When instructions came for them to defend themselves, it was already late as the two officials were already dead. They actually went on raid this morning. Those boys carried machetes and other dangerous objects to attack them.”
A chieftain of the IPOB, Nzekwe Ugonna, told the Guardian on the phone however that, “We have been meeting peacefully at the venue”. Asked whether they were actually training new members on combat, he stated that, “it depends on what they mean by combat. We are peaceful and not fighting any war.”
He alleged that over 15 members of the group were arrested, adding that “we have recovered three dead bodies and many sustained injuries while trying to escape from security men”
As at the time of filing the report on Sunday afternoon, Emene was still tensed as security agents flooded the area, restricting the movement of persons and vehicles as they searched for IPOB members.
Di Department of State Service say at least two of dia officers die from di clash, according to wetin DSS Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, tok for statement wey im release.
One court for Nigeria don already ban di activities of Ipob group for Nigeria but di group still dey gather to protest and do oda tins.
Ipob dey fight for independent kontri of Biafra.
Na security agencies attack us
One member of di group wey follow BBC Pidgin tok, Somto Okonkwo, say dem no kill any security officer as dem no get gun.
Afunanya bin tok say pob members attack dem "unprovoked" for Enugu State, eastern part of Nigeria.
"Di service lost two personnel for wetin be unprovoked violent attack wey Ipob member start," but Okonkwo say dis na lie.
"Na so dem dey tok every time dem attack us. Dem go say we kill but na lie. How we go kill dem, we no get gun, we no get anything and how will dey say we kill. Na dem dey always shoot," Okonkwo tell BBC Pidgin.
How dis last clash start
DI police spokesperson for Enugu state, Daniel Ndukwe, say 500 members of the Ipob group block roadblocks and harassed DSS personnel.
E add say di joint force of securities agencies try stop di violence wen IPOB members bin start to dey shoot.
But Okonkwo tell BBC Pidgin say di members bin dey for Emene wey dem dey pray before joint force of security agencies attack dem.
"Dey went to pray as dem dey do every Sunday. Di police come with DSS and oda pipo. E be like joint force. Dem come to di gate and start to knock with so much aggressiveness. Somebody go open di gate, as di person open dem grab di person.
Anoda person wey dey inside see as dem dey grab di man and ask dem why dem dey grab di man. Dem shoot di man. Na dis one come make pipo angry and na like dat e start.
Emma Powerful, wey be tok-tok person of di group, condemn di riot and accuse di security agencies say dem kill at least 21 of im pipo and 47 wunjure.
"Dos wey dey responsible for dis barbaric killing for Enugu today[Sunday] must pay for dia actions against IPOB for di right time. E dey laughable for DSS to claim say dem lost five personnel for di hands of unarmed and peaceful pipo. E dey clear to all say IPOB no dey carry arm. We dey warn and ask Nigerian goment and dia security operatives to stop dis atrocity," Powerful say.
