THERE was pandemonium on Tuesday in Anambra State as 11 members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), who were mobilising indigenes of South-East for Thursday’s sit-at-home order to honour the six Igbo killed at Apo Village, Abuja, were shot by some policemen.
The shooting took place during a rally at Nnobi and Awka-Etiti communities, Idemili South Local Government, Anambra State.
People ran helter skelter as other MASSOB members stormed major streets to avenge the shooting of their colleagues.
MASSOB Deputy Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, accused the security operatives, especially the police, of killing MASSOB members fighting for the actualisation of a sovereign state of Biafra.
According to him, the police also took away MASSOB laptop machine, N8,000 cash and arrested Jude Ochi, Nnamdi Ezeaka, Nelson Ugboh, Ifeanyi Eboh and others.
Also reacting, Prince Ohaegbulem Jude of the Lagos State branch of MASSOB, regretted that the Igbo have been marginalised, intimidated “and made to be second hand citizens in a country where they are part and parcel of”.
To him, the June 8 sit-at-home order is unstoppable despite intimidation from security agents.
Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident but said he was not aware that any MASSOB member was shot.
In a related development, activities were brought to a standstill at the Anambra State House of Assembly, Awka as over 200 protesting youths stormed the premises.
The youths are members of the Association of Igbo Youths (AIYO).
They were at the Assembly to mobilise the workers and lawmakers against the sit-at-home order.
The angry youths, who came in several buses, arrived the gate of the Assembly at noon.
With placards, they demanded to see the Speaker, Hon. Chinwe Nwebili, who was holding an executive session in the Assembly Chamber.
Some of the placards which the protesters carried read “No more violence; no closure of markets, it is against our interest; no gang up against government”.
The youths were received at gate of the Assembly by Hon. Dr. Emeka Aniebonam and some other legislators on behalf of the Speaker.
Addressing the Assembly members, the Anambra State Chairman of AIYO, Comrade Annie Onyeakpe, said they were in the Assembly to complain against the illegal order issued to the Igbo to stay at home on June 8, 2013.
He said: “Our stand is that we do not support the June 8 sit-at-home order by MASSOB. The traders are not happy about the order and the Igbos are generally traders who may be disturbed if they are compelled to sit-at-home for the day.
Onyeakpe said that MASSOB had no authority to order the Igbo race to stay at home “when we have five state governments and the governors, who could issue any such order, have not done so”.
He appealed to the members of the House of Assembly to do everything possible to ensure that the Igbo were not disturbed from carrying out their legitimate businesses on June 8.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of MASSOB, Comrade Chukwuemeka Uga, appealed to the Assembly members to always remember the empowerment of youths in their handling of state budget, pointing out that unemployment was the major reason for youth rascality and robbery.
Aniebonam thanked members of AIYO for their peaceful conduct in lodging their complaints to the Assembly.
He said that nobody had right to issue any order on the people order than the government, and promised to table their complaint before Governor Peter Obi.
