A detachment of Nigerian soldiers has surrounded the country home of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, multiple sources at the location in Afaraukwu in Abia State tell The Trent.
The “fierce-looking” soldiers arrived the community barely 48 hours after a confrontation between officers of the Nigerian Army and member of IPOB occurred in the same village on Sunday. The clash left one person shot and several injured with the Nigerian Army and IPOB trading allegations.
The detachment involved soldiers in ten armoured personnel carriers and seven Hilux vehicles on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 afternoon has caused panic in the area, forcing shop owners to close immediately.
According to Daily Times, some of the soldiers also invaded the Abia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Aba Road, Umuahia, and destroyed laptops and other valuables.
Witnesses at the secretariat said that the soldiers claimed they saw somebody taking photographs of them from the building. The chairperson of Council John Emejor has confirmed the incident.
Emejor who expressed disappointment over the incidents said a National officer of the Union Ezeogo Bonny Okoro was slapped by one of the soldiers.
“Our press centre was invaded by soldiers, two Journalists lost their IPads and phones, while a national leader in the office was attacked,” Emejor told reporters.
“Our stand is that those involved in this attack on innocent Journalists should be fished out and punished in line with the constitution of the Country.”
The assistant director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade, Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi, has also confirmed the incident. He said he had asked the chairman of the Council to send the photograph of the damaged office to him.
Additional reports by Daily Times.
