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By Stanley Uzoaro, Owerri
Seven persons were allegedly killed yesterday January 25, at Owerrebiri town in Orlu when soldiers stormed a protest meeting during the Monday sit-at-home while members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in Orlu zone were honouring their members killed last week.
According to IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, several other persons were wounded – some seriously during the incident.
In a confirmatory message, Power said: “Yesterday, members of the Nigerian Army from the 29 Artillery Brigade, Obrinze, Owerri, Imo State once again stormed the defenseless members of the IPOB family in Orlu while they were paying their last respects to our brethren who were killed last week in the area.
“No fewer than seven of our members were killed; several others were wounded – some seriously.
“This is in continuation of the spate of killings of the IPOB members by the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police which President Muhammadu Buhari ordered.
“Once again we want the whole world to note this.”
Confirming the incident, a resident of Owerrebiri who identified himself as Emeka Okafor said: “We are living in fear right now; we have fled our community.
“The soldiers have been ransacking the area hunting for youths and every adult male. Those who were arrested were branded IPOB members and taken to Owerri and then to Abuja for detention.
“They came in several Toyota Hilux vehicles and took as many persons as they could lay their hands on.
“This has been going on in other neigbouring communities like Amucha, Nkwume and Orlu town.
“We are all living in fear having fled the area.”
According to another source, the soldiers allegedly set fire to a building belonging to a man identified as Chief Nwafor whose son was suspected to be an IPOB member.
He said fear and terror now reigned not only in the community but others around it; they all remained like ghost communities having had their peace shattered after the residents had all fled, leaving the aged and children behind.
Then he added: “We are no longer safe. We are facing terrible times. We are now an endangered people.”
He said the soldiers were mostly of the northern extraction. He said children who encountered them heard them chanting intermittently in pidgin English: “Flush those idiots out; flush those useless Igbos out of Nigeria!” This our correspondent could not confirm.
The Owerrebiri incident is a continuation of the military onslaught on Orlu district over the past months.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Imo State Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye, confirmed the story.
He said he learnt that soldiers clashed with IPOB militants in Orlu area but could not say if there were casualties or not.
He said he was waiting for details from the police Area Commander in Orlu, and promised to give details later, but could not do so until this report was filed.
