COAS, TY Buratai
In a statement made available to Premium Times in Enugu by the
Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, the Nigerian Army said its
troops, alongside other security agencies, acted in self-defence as well
as in defence of lives and property of peace-loving Nigerians when it
shot dead at least five members of the Movement for the Actualisation of
Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra
(IPOB) on Monday.
Recall that the pro-Biafra activists were killed as they marched to
commemorate the 49th anniversary of the declaration of the defunct
Biafra Republic by late warlord, Chief Odumegwu Emeka Ojukwu.
"The attention of the general public is hereby drawn to the
unwarranted attack that was launched by combined members of the Movement
for Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the
Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) against the peace loving populace as
well as security agencies at about 0415 hours on 30 May 2016.
"This attack was purported to have been orchestrated in order
to mar the first anniversary of the present democratic government as
part of the activities earmarked to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of
Biafra.
"Due to the wide spread panic, tension and apprehension that
generated from the activities of the MASSOB and IPOB members, security
agencies which comprised of detachment of Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police,
Department of State Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency were
compelled to intervene in consonance with constitutional provisions of
aid to civil authority where and when such occasion demands. The over
arching imperative to ensure a reign of peace, security and stability in
this circumstance was most starring.
"However, the MASSOB/IPOB members who had earlier assembled at a
school location on Ataa Road near Saint Edmunds’ Catholic Parish
Maryland Nkpor-Agu in Anambra State resorted to fierce attack against
the intervening security agencies that were carrying out their
legitimate mandate.
"The nature of this attack involved brazen employment of
various types of fire arms and all sorts of crude weapons, volatile
cocktail such as acid and dynamites.
"Instructively, troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army as the lead
agency of the security agencies had to invoke the extant Rules of
Engagement (ROE) to resort to self defence, protection of the strategic
Niger Bridge, prevent re-enforcement of the pro-Biafra members
apparently surging ahead from the far side of the strategic Niger Bridge
at Onitsha. All these efforts were in order to de-escalate the palpable
tension as well as ward off the apparent threats to lives and property
in the general area.
"In the aftermath of the fire fight that ensued, many of own
troops sustained varying degrees of injury. These injured troops are
currently receiving treatment at own medical centre. Similarly, 5
members of MASSOB/IPOB were killed, 8 wounded while 9 were arrested for
due legal actions," the statement read.
The statement added that the unfortunate incident notwithstanding,
"the 82 Division Nigerian Army wishes to assure all of its professional
commitment to the protection of lives and property of the good people
of Anambra State and indeed across its entire Area of Responsibility in
tandem with the recent directive of the President and Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the
Chief of Defence Staff to the Chief of Army Staff to avert occurrences
of such unwarranted and uncivilized attacks against the good and law
abiding people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
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