The
Nigerian Army on Sunday said its personnel fired warning shots to disperse
hoodlums who lobbed stones and broken bottles against them during a procession
in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
The Army was countering the account of Mr. Kanu, which had said soldiers
stormed his residence in the Abia State capital, killing and injuring occupants
in a bid to attack the separatist activist.
“The attention of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army has been drawn to fictitious news going round especially on the social media that troops have invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed three persons.
“The attention of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army has been drawn to fictitious news going round especially on the social media that troops have invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed three persons.
“This
is far from the truth. Rather, it was a group of suspected IPOB militants that
blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while on show of force along
FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State at about 6.00-6.30pm, today.
They insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the
soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent
female passerby and a soldier, Corporal Kolawole Mathew.
“The
troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlums dispersed. No life was
lost,” the Army said in a statement signed by Oyegoke Gbadamosi, a major and
assistant deputy spokesperson of the 14 Brigade.
The Army’s account corroborated police’s statement on the incident.
“There was no attack on the home of Nnamdi Kanu,” Abia police commissioner, Leye Oyebade, told Premium Times by telephone Sunday evening.
“What happened was that the military was parading a new armoured carrier and passed through Nnamdi Kanu’s residence.
“It was while they were passing that some people threw stones and other things at them,” Mr. Oyebade explained.
The police chief said normalcy has been restored and no life was lost during the minor skirmish. He said Mr. Kanu was neither targeted nor arrested.
The Army’s account corroborated police’s statement on the incident.
“There was no attack on the home of Nnamdi Kanu,” Abia police commissioner, Leye Oyebade, told Premium Times by telephone Sunday evening.
“What happened was that the military was parading a new armoured carrier and passed through Nnamdi Kanu’s residence.
“It was while they were passing that some people threw stones and other things at them,” Mr. Oyebade explained.
The police chief said normalcy has been restored and no life was lost during the minor skirmish. He said Mr. Kanu was neither targeted nor arrested.
- Premium
Times
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