Nine people are confirmed death after a clash between the Joint Military
Taskforce and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at Niger
Bridge.
The IPOB embarked on peaceful protest on Tuesday by the IPOB against the
continued incarceration of the Director of Radio Biafra Mr. Nnamdi Kalu.
According to reports the protest turned bloody at about 1.30 am early
hours. The encounter left five at Niger Bridge Head, three at Obodoukwu
Road, a Suya meat seller said to have been hit by stray bullet who died
instantly.
Reports said some IPOB member on hearing of the casualty went into another
protest. They marched to the Central mosque at near Onitsha Main Market
and set it, a Hilux Pick Up van with federal Government number was also
burnt when the Joint Military Taskforce held motorist and commuters
hostage at Upper Iweka with sporadic shooting that has never been
witnessed before in Onitsha.
The protest had a peaceful protest on Tuesday without any casualty but the
situation was aggravated when the Joint Military Taskforce, which could
not disperse them on Tuesday, invaded the Niger Bridge at about 1.30 am
today and opened fire on thousands of the IPOB members who refused to
leave the Niger Bridge.
All the markets in Onitsha were shut down around 12.30 pm, as millions of
traders in all the markets in Onitsha and its environs were seen
scampering for safety and trekking to their homes, as gun shut were
sporadically at every corner.