One Dead, Several Injured As Police, Suspected IPOB Members Clash In Imo

One person has been confirmed dead as a joint  operation of police at the Orlu Divisional Headquarters and the Local Vigilantes of Amaifeke Ancient Kingdom clashed with suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed militia Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Imo State.

Naija News gathered that suspected IPOB and ESN members trooped in their numbers in an attempt to invade the Palace of the Chairman Council of Imo State Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Dr. Emmanuel Okereke at Amaifeke in Orlu LGA of Imo State.

Confirming the incident, Imo Police spokesman Henry Okoye disclosed that the joint operation of the police and local vigilantes fouled the attempt.

According to him, two local vigilantes whose names are withheld for security reasons were injured in the ensuing gun duel and immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

He said the suspected IPOB and ESN members came in their numbers, shooting sporadically and fighting their way into the Palace at Amaifeke Ancient Kingdom Orlu, but they received strong resistance from police operatives and local vigilantes who engaged them in a protracted gun duel, forcing them to flee to the adjourning bushes with various degrees of gunshot injuries.

Okoye stated that  “Unfortunately, one of them died while receiving medical attention, while the other is in stable condition.

“On combing the armourning bushes, blood stains were seen, which evidentially suggest that the hoodlums were fatally hit.

“IPOB maintains that the insecurity ravaging the Southeast Region is a Nigeria State sponsored blackmail against Ndigbo, particularly against IPOB’s peaceful movement for Biafra referendum. We have constantly condemned and disassociated ourselves from the unknown gunmen and insist that Nigeria Security Agencies know those behind the masked unknown gunmen.

“These unknown gunmen were those who led the prison break at Owerri Correctional facility on April 5, 2021, for 3 hours without any resistance from the government’s security operatives. They also lead covert operations at Suleja Abuja Prison on July 5, 2020, without security resistance. If these men were not government agents, how could they have done these? How can a non-state actor carry out jailbreaks for hours without security resistance?”