IPOB members, who adorned white clothing had embarked on street protest over the continued detention of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu despite the court order for his release.
The protest which took off from East Street and Ngwa road axis through the Azikiwe road and Ama Ogbonna was peaceful until the combined team of security agents comprising soldiers and policemen allegedly blocked them as they marched from Ama Ogbonna junction to Osusu road.
The IPOB members allegedly defied the security order to disperse and started chanting;”Obey Court Order, Release Our Leader, Respect Your Own Court, The Court Has Freed Our Leader FG Why Holding Him.”
The incident happened at Osusu Road By St. John’s Anglican Church Aba as the combined team allegedly opened fire at the protesting IPOB members.
The situation caused heavy panic in the area as residents and shop owners scampered to safety. The road was deserted as motorists avoided the area while some patrol vans comprising policemen and soldiers were seen racing to the area.
A shop owner simply identified as Ndukwe told Vanguard that he was almost caught in the conflict but was saved by providence.
He said; “I was just coming from Faulks Road where I have already seen them, but when I got to Osusu, I saw people running and gunshots were fired from a distance by security men who were after the IPOB members protesting. I ran towards St Eugene Road because we were actually watching their protest from Faulks Road until the security men came and started shooting at them along Osusu road.
“Later when I came out, I saw about three persons lying down motionless with blood all over although I was later told that two other persons also were killed at Osusu by Cemetery Road. I didn’t see those two but I learnt they carried some other of their members who were injured.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the Abia State Police Command to the incident was unsuccessful as calls and text messages sent to the Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, were not responded to, as at the time of filing this report.
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