Following the alleged shoot-out yesterday between joint team of Army, Police and suspected kidnappers at 3-3 in the commercial city of Onitsha, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has faulted the claims by the security agencies that the suspects were kidnappers.
It alleged that its member was killed and later dubbed a kidnap suspect by security agents. The group’s regional administrator, Awka North, Chief Tony Nwodo, faulted the claims that there was a shoot-out between the joint team of army and police personnel and suspected kidnappers.
He said the security agents stormed MASSOB meeting venue, opened fire on their members and killed one while others sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries.
Nwodo disclosed that there was no case of kidnapping in the area as MASSOB members had on Friday arrested one Sunday, (sure name withheld) a native of Nkwelle, who was impersonating MASSOB members to commit crime including robbery and handed him over to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of 3-3, Mr. Ekene.
“What happened on Monday, October 14, 2013 was a cover-up because the army and the police knew the truth; they knew there was no case of kidnapping anywhere around the area. MASSOB members had on October 11 arrested one Sunday from Nkwelle, who was using MASSOB name to commit all sorts of crime including armed robbery and destroying people’s property.
We handed the suspect over to the DPO, 3-3, Mr. Nonso which is on record.”
“Then on Monday, October 14, MASSOB members also arrested one other suspect, Chinedu, for impersonating the movement, to use it to intimidate the residents of the area in the name of MASSOB and our members were on their way, to handing him over to the police at 3-3, when soldiers stormed the area and opened fire on our members and in the process, killed one of us, injured many and arrested over 10 members of MASSOB,” he said.
Nwodo disclosed that apart from the deceased whom they gave his name as Chimezie whom the security agents alleged was a kidnap suspect; over 10 members of MASSOB were undergoing torture in police cell while five other members are still missing without any trace to their whereabouts.
From EMMANUEL UZOR, Onitsha
