Suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday morning burnt a police station in Abia State and injured one officer, the police spokesperson for the state has told newsmen.
According to the spokesperson, Geoffrey Ogbona, the attack was carried out around 6:30 a.m.
“Ariaria police station (Aba) was burnt down this morning,” Mr. Ogbona said. “The people that did this we are suspecting they are IPOB hoodlums.”
“The people came in their number, besieged the station and one of our police men was beaten up,” the spokesperson said, adding that “but glory be to God, we did not lose the officer’s life.”
Mr. Ogbona said while the violence was underway, the police restrained itself, failing to respond in kind.
“If anything like that had taken place, it would have worsened the situation,” Mr. Ogbona told this newspaper.
He, however, denied the report by Television Continental (TVC) that the Umuahia residence of the commissioner of Police for Abia State was attacked by IPOB on Thursday.
“That of (attack on) the residence of the Commissioner is not true,” he said. “What happened there was that the place is close to the residence of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu; so, when people see IPOB members gather around there, they may think something like that (attack) was happening.”
He also confirmed attacks in which the Hausa community in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, was targeted, but said normalcy had been restored, following police intervention.
He said, “When we got wind of this, my commissioner moved to Aba and the issue was addressed. All the Hausa people were assured of their safety and they returned to their businesses.”
However, our source learnt that about 2,000 Hausas, including women and children, are currently held up in a relatively safe place in Aba, afraid for their lives.
The deteriorating situation in Abia, the home state of secessionist leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, followed a report that the police lost a sergeant in a clash with secessionists in Rivers State on Wednesday.
But IPOB lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor told our source, that the group “is universally known for non-violent agitation.”
“Anybody indulging in violence is not an IPOB member,” Mr. Ejiofor said.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for independent investigation of human rights abuses and alleged humiliation of unarmed civilians by soldiers in Abia State. The party made the call in a statement by Mr Dayo Adeyeye, its National Secretary of National Caretaker Committee on Thursday in Abuja.
It said that a video clip of the alleged humiliation of civilians had gone viral.
The party said that though it welcomed Nigerian Army’s initiative to probe the incident, the humiliation of citizens, given the enormity of the allegation, was unacceptable.
“The party hereby calls for the setting up of an independent panel of experts on human rights to ascertain the veracity of this allegation.
“Where they are proven to be true, the PDP demands that all perpetrators as well as those connected, however remotely, be immediately brought to justice.
“This would go a long way to serve as a deterrent and reassure the international community that Nigeria is not a jungle but a decent society where human rights are promoted,’’ it said.
It added that the PDP believed that human life was sacrosanct and must be treated as such by all and sundry.
The PDP said that the right to life and liberty as enshrined in the county’s Constitution and other international conventions must not only be respected and protected, but must be seen to be so.
“The PDP frowns at and condemns violence in all its ramifications and calls on Nigerians, wherever they are, to eschew it and live peacefully with one another,’’ the statement further said.
Meanwhile, a Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate’s Court in Rivers State, has remanded 30 suspected supporters of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in the Port Harcourt Maximum Prison Custody.
The remand followed the arraignment of the IPOB supporters by the state Commissioner of Police, Zaki Mohammed Ahmed before Chief Magistrate Amadi Nna-Amadi, yesterday.
The Tide recalls that some supporters of the IPOB were arrested by the police following violence that broke out at the Oyigbo area of the state, wherein a police sergeant was killed and another injured, while shops and properties were destroyed.
Nine of the suspects, who were arrested, last Monday, in connection with the killing of the police officer were arraigned under suit number PMC/1935C/2017 on charges bordering on murder, while the 21 arrested, last Tuesday, were charged in suit number PMC/1938C/2017, with treasonable felony and unlawful assembly.
The charges were not read to the accused and no plea was taken due to the nature of the charges.
In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, Chief Magistrate Amadi Nna-Amadi, held that pursuant to Section 300 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, Rivers State, the court has remand powers.
He also stated that the court lacked jurisdiction to try the matter, and therefore, ordered the accused persons be remanded in prison custody while directing the court registrar to remit the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
The matter was later adjourned sine die.
However, counsels to the accused persons, had argued that the police were wrong to have arraigned the suspects before a Magistrate’s Court, knowing that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
In his arguments, counsel to the 8th defendant in the murder charge, E.C. Morka, said the police have the powers to file the matter in a court that has jurisdiction to entertain the matter, pursuant to Section 301 subsection 1, 2 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Rivers State.
He further argued that pursuant to Section 18 of the Magistrate Court Law, 2004, the court has the powers to look into the case file of the accused to ascertain whether the accused was properly charged.
He accused the police of arraigning the suspect, especially his client on trump-up charges, and prayed the court to dismiss the charges, instead of sending the case file to the DPP for advice.
On his part, defence counsel to the 8th and 10th defendants in the treasonable felony and unlawful assembly charge, Mr. Nworie, prayed the court to dismiss the charges and send the file to the Chief Judge for assignment of the case rather than remitting it to the DPP for advice.
Nworie, said the charge for which his clients were being accused are capital offence which punishment is death. He said, pursuant to Sections 98 and 99 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, the police were supposed to file the matter under a Writ of Summons in a competent court of jurisdiction within seven days of the arrest.
However, in his counter arguments, the prosecution counsel, led by the 2IC, Legal, Rivers State Command, DSP Enoch George, prayed the court to discountenance the arguments of the defence counsels.
He said the case was filed for remand purposes and that the Magistrate’s Court has the powers to remand the suspects in prison custody.
In an interview with newsmen after the court session, the prosecution led by George, promised to ensure speedy trial of the matter and for justice to prevail.
In another development, the military has begun an enquiry into allegations of torture of civilians by soldiers on Operation Python Dance in Abia State.
It said that any soldier found to have involved himself in such untoward activities would be dealt with in accordance with military law.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Col Sagir Musa in Enugu, yesterday.
The statement entitled, “Video Clip Of Alleged Human Rights Violations Trending On Social Media Is Being Investigated,” read, “The attention of the Headquarters, 82 Division, Nigerian Army has been drawn to a video clip trending on social media and other platforms purportedly showing troops humiliating some people at a check point in Abia State, Nigeria.
“The issue is being investigated with a view to ascertaining the source and the actors in the clip. Our Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement are quite clear and any officer or soldier that infringed on any of such directives if found guilty, will face full wrath of the military justice system.
“We would like to inform the public that 82 Division is also aware of the planned misinformation and propaganda arrangement by the secessionists Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“They intend to churn out pre-recorded video clips aimed at discrediting the Nigerian Army, causing disaffection among the citizens of this country. They will be using bogus, manipulated and photo-shopped photographs as well as video clips. The public should be wary of such mischief, scrutinize and report same to the Nigerian Army or any of security agencies.
“The Division wishes to reassure the public that it is determined to ensuring the safety of lives and properties in its area of operational responsibility, particularly the entire South-East geo-political zone as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We do not condone any act of indiscipline in the conduct of our operations and training exercises. Any claim of rights violation would be investigated and when confirmed, appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against the erring personnel,” the statement added.