Five die as army allegedly shoots protesting IPOB members in Aba

Five protesting members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB were reportedly killed in Aba on Friday afternoon during a peaceful protest.

It was gathered that the IPOB members were all in white attire, expressing their opinion and calling on the federal government to release their leader, Nnamdi Kanu who is in the DSS detention in Abuja.

According to a source, the protest started at Assa road through Azikiwe road. The source stated that “on getting to Amaogbonna, soldiers opened fire”, pointing out that more than five have already died.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL has condemned what they called “the lawless killings of five innocent Igbos in Aba by the Nigerian Army”.

In a press statement released on Friday and signed by the group’s President General, Goodluck Ibem, the youths called for the immediate arrest, sack and prosecution of those involved.

The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the apex socio-political youth group in the South East geopolitical zone

“We received with rude shock the barbaric killing of armless Igbos who were peacefully protesting and demanding for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Aba , Abia State. This is wickedNess, barbaric, and lawlessness of the highest order.

“This unlawful killing of 5 innocent Igbos who were wearing white and white as a sign of peace while protesting peacefully without any threat to lives and property shows that the Army and security agencies deployed to the South East are not on a mission to maintain peace but to kill innocent law abiding citizens of South East.

“They is no where in the world where armless protesters wearing white and white are killed for being peaceful in their conduct. The evil and wicked killing of 5 innocent Igbos today is more than meet the eye. This means that they are serious planning to exterminate the Igbo race who have done nothing wrong.

“It is only the court of law that has the constitutional powers to give order for the execution of any offender. So from where did the army derive their powers to execute those peaceful protesters.

“We call on the International community, the United Nations and all lovers of democracy to beam their searchlight on Nigeria that have made it an offence to be an Igbo by origin which is punishable by death. What happened today were innocent persons were butchered in broad daylight is a genocide of the highest order.

“We demand for the immediate arrest, sack and prosecution of those security agents who assassinated those innocent igbos today. The law must take its full course.

“The same military officers have never for once arrested or gunned down any Fulani terrorists and jihadist killing Innocent Nigerians on a daily basis. Their guns and bullets are only active when they see innocent Igbos”.

All efforts to reach the Army PRO and the Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna for their reactions were not possible as they were not picking their calls.