The Police have claimed that five members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) shot dead in Aba, Abia State on Friday were killed while repelling their attack on its operatives.
The Police said this in a statement obviously issued in response to the controversies over killing of the five members of the proscribed group.
Some members of the public who witnessed the incident that led to the death of the five IPOB members in Osusu area of Aba had accused police of extra-judicial killing.
The IPOB members were on procession across the commercial town when they encountered the policemen and in the ensuing clash, five of them were killed.
Some of the residents, armed with video evidence, said the group was protesting peacefully without disturbance.
Mr Chinomso Aka, a witness, said the group was protesting continued detention of the group leader Nnamdi Kanu on Friday when the incident happened.
However, Abia Police Command’s PRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna in a statement he issued on behalf of the Police Commissioner, Mr Mustapha Bala claimed policemen on patrol came under attack from the proscribed IPOB/ESN members who were armed with dangerous weapons.
He said the Police operatives repelled the attack with minimal casualties while majority of the hoodlums scampered for safety.
Bala said that “On 31/03/2023 at about 1145hours, Policemen on confidence building patrol/show of force within Aba metropolis came under attack by the proscribed IPOB/ESN members.
“They were armed with petrol bombs, machetes, battle axes and other dangerous weapons.
“The attack was repelled by the Police operatives with minimal casualties while majority of the hoodlums scampered for safety.
“However, normalcy has returned in the area”.
The Command, therefore, warned any persons or groups intending to scuttle the relative peace enjoyed in the State to rethink such an idea.
It further said that the security operatives in the state would not fold their arms and watch disgruntled elements to “mesmerise” the state.
(NAN)
