One person was feared dead, Wednesday, as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), clashed with police and soldiers in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
A source, who cannot be mentioned because he is not authorised to speak on the matter told NEXT EDITION, soldiers, police, and operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were deployed to Ekwulobia in the early hours of the day ahead of Mr. Kanu’s visit.
The source several trucks brought the security operatives to the area just as IPOB members started their rally.
“At the time the soldiers, police and civil defence people came, many IPOB members were already on the streets, wearing designed Polo, carrying flags and singing Biafran songs,” the source said.
“But the security operatives while attempting to stop the parade, seized the caps and flags and other IPOB-marked materials and destroyed them.
“That was when the protesters responded by throwing things at the security men. The security operatives shot tear-gas on the crown and by the time the dust cleared, one of the IPOD members was on the ground.
“People living in the area fled their homes for fear of a possible escalation of the crisis.”
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When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Nkeiruka Nwode, said no one was killed during the crisis.
While saying that security operatives were deployed to the area, she noted that the action was to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
“A complaint was received by the police that there were a gathering and blockage of a road by some people at Central School, Ekwulobia in Aguata LGA,” she said in a statement.
“The police with other security agencies on joint patrol went to the scene, dispersed and cleared the road peacefully without any clash.
“However, normalcy has been restored and people are going about their business without any threat or molestation.
“There was nothing like that (killing). The presence of the security men was to secure the people of the area from being attacked by hoodlums.”
The fracas was attributed to the planned visit of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to the area in continuation of the group’s anti-election campaign in the state.
Mr. Kanu and his supporters have vowed that the Anambra gubernatorial election fixed for November 18, will not hold unless a referendum was conducted for the< creation of the Sovereign State of Biafra.
