Military Taskforce opens fire on Pro-Biafra protesters, 9 dead

dimeji akinloye

December 2, 2015 8:09 PM

The IPOB members had blocked the Niger Bridge early Tuesday morning by grounding vehicular movement in and outside Onitsha.

Pro-Biafra protesters in Onitsha, Anambra State on December 1, 2015

The ongoing protest by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against the continued incarceration of the Radio Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kalu, took a bloody turn in Anambra state in the early hours of today, Dec. 2, as nine people were reported killed.

According to Vanguard, the Joint Military Taskforce comprising, Army, Navy, Police and Civil Defense and the protesters, who vowed to block the Niger Bridge until Kanu is released, clashed in Onitsha around 1.30am.

Five of the deceased were killed at the Niger Bridge Head, three at Obodoukwu Road and a Suya meat seller, who was hit by stray bullet and died instantly, report said.

It was gathered that other protesters who got wind of their comrades' death were said to have unleashed another mayhem, as they torched the Central mosque main market in Onitsha. They also set ablaze a Hilux Pick Up van with federal Government number plate when the Joint Military Taskforce started shooting sporadically.

READ: Pro-Biafra protests continue [PHOTOS] in Anambra

Report said the protest was peaceful since it began yesterday until the Joint Military Task Force opened fire on the thousands of protesters who refused to leave the Niger Bridge, the entry to South East, killing nine.

dimeji akinloye