One feared killed as IPOB clashes with army, police

The clash was caused by a visit being planned by the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, to the area in furtherance of his anti-election campaign in the state.

Kanu and his IPOB members had said the November 18 poll in the state would not hold if the Federal Government failed to approve that a referendum be conducted on the sovereign state of Biafra.

As early as 8am on Wednesday, security operatives including soldiers, police and other paramilitary agencies had converged on Ekwulobia.

“The security operatives came in 14 loaded trucks. Despite the heavy presence of security in the area, the IPOB members were still parading the area, singing and chanting Biafran songs.

“The Biafran flags, caps, shirts and other items being sold by some youths were seized and burnt by security operatives.

“The situation angered IPOB members and they tried to attack the security operatives who fired tear gassed at them and one of their (IPOB) members was killed in the process,” a source who would not want to be identified told our correspondent.

But the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Nkeiruka Nwode, in a statement said no death was recorded.

She said, “There was nothing like that(death). The presence of the security men was to secure the people of the area from being attacked by hoodlums.

“A complaint was received by the police that there was a gathering and blockage of road by some people at the Central School, Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area.

“The police with other security agencies on joint patrol went to the scene, dispersed and cleared the road peacefully without any clash. Normalcy has been restored and people are going about their business without any threat or molestation.”

As of the time of filing the report, Kanu had not visited the place as scheduled.

Meanwhile, IPOB has confirmed the killing of one of its members in Ekwulobia.

In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, it described the attack on its members as terrorism.

The statement read in part, “IPOB wishes to draw the attention of the world to the brutal murder of one IPOB family member at Ekwulobia, Anambra State by police officers acting on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police.

“We want to alert Biafrans, men and women of good conscience across the globe that the Federal Government of Nigeria has decided to kill yet another innocent person in Anambra State in the name of holy war against IPOB.

“We are holding the DPO of Ekwulobia Police Station directly responsible for the murder of the IPOB family member.”