A team of Nigerian soldiers have invaded the Abia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Aba Road, Umuahia, and destroyed laptops and other valuables on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.
According to multiple sources at the location, who spoke with The Trent, the detachment involved soldiers in ten armoured personnel carriers and seven Hilux vehicles and is the same that surrounded the country home of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Afaraukwu in Abia State.
The military invasion caused panic in the area, forcing shop owners to close immediately, Daily Times reports.
Witnesses at the secretariat said that the soldiers claimed they saw somebody taking photographs of them from the building. The chairperson of Council John Emejor has confirmed the incident.
Emejor who expressed disappointment over the incidents said a National officer of the Union Ezeogo Bonny Okoro was slapped by one of the soldiers.
“Our press centre was invaded by soldiers, two journalists lost their IPads and phones, while a national leader in the office was attacked,” Emejor told reporters.
“Our stand is that those involved in this attack on innocent journalists should be fished out and punished in line with the constitution of the country.”
The assistant director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade, Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi, has also confirmed the incident. He said he had asked the chairman of the Council to send the photograph of the damaged office to him.
The soldiers arrived the IPOB leaders’ community barely 48 hours after a confrontation between officers of the Nigerian Army and member of IPOB occurred in the same village on Sunday. The clash left one person shot and several injured with the Nigerian Army and IPOB trading allegations.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has declared a 3-day curfew following these developments.
