ABIA- The Police Authorities in Nigeria have declared wanted three suspected members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) over their involvement in the deadly clash between supporters of IPOB and personnel of Joint Taskforce Security in Abia State, recently which left two persons dead, while others reportedly wounded.
Names of the wanted IPOB members as given by the police include ; Ifeanyi Samuel (40), Uliem Chukwuemeka Sabaddine (35), Monday ThankGod, all male
The Abia State Police Command made the declaration while parading 25 suspected members of the IPOB group who were arrested during the deadly clash with the security personnel
Briefing newsmen in Umuahia, the Abia State Capital on behalf of the State Police Commissioner, CP Emeka Ezike, the state Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tanko Ibrahim, said the suspected IPOB members unlawfully assembled themselves at the National High School, along Port-Harcourt- Aba Road as early as 8:00 am with clandestine motives to cause mayhem in the state.
He informed that following a tip-off, combined team of the Army and Police swooped on the suspected IPOB members who were allegedly singing different war-like songs, brandishing the outlawed biafran currency and tearing the County’s flag, adding that the combined security team was able to arrest 25 of the suspects.
Tanko, however, appealed to members of the public who may have useful information that would lead to the arrest of three wanted IPOB members, especially one Uliem Chukwuemeka Sabaddine (35), a native of Enugu State, who he claimed to be the leader of IPOB in the state to contact the nearest police station, assuring that such information would be treated in strict confidentiality.
The suspected IPOB members whom Our Crime Correspondent learnt numbering about 200 brandished placards with various inscriptions like: “Biafra or death”, “Waved the Biafran flag; A golden Rising Sun on Red, Black and Green” and others who wore T- shirts and face cups bearing the image of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra and Founder of IPOB, a pressure group agitating for their rights were said to have been engaged in peaceful assembly on December 10, 2012.
Eyewitnesses accounts revealed that the casualty figure would have been higher had some of the IPOB members not escaped even with bullet wounds.
According to a particular eyewitness, “The IPOB members usually, gathered at the school to pray before commencing their meeting, but soldiers and policemen invaded the area. There was heavy shootings. I saw more than seven dead people. Many others were injured.”
The situation it was learnt caused tension in the area as shop owners between 10am to about 2:30pm were reportedly seen loitering around their stores to see if they would be allowed to open while some residents scampered for safety following the deadly clash.
Motorists were said to have avoided the stretch between Crystal Park Hotel junction and National High School along Aba Main Market Road where vehicular movements were obstructed.
An IPOB official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the security agents arrested the group’s Abia State Assistant Coordinator simply identified as Ebuka and 30 of his members.
While lamenting IPOB members have continued to die in the hands of security operatives in the country, the IPOB Officer called on international communities to come to their rescue by investigating the unwholesome killings.
When our Correspondent visited the area two days after the clash, stern looking soldiers and policemen were seen at strategic positions while convoy of over 30 patrol vans were seen patrolling the town.
