Two Die in Pro-Biafra Agitators, Soldiers’ Clash

At least, two persons were feared dead in Aba, the commercial capital of Abia State, on Monday following a protest by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra.The pro-Biafran supporters had defied several warnings by the state government and security agencies to desist from protesting against the continued detention of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.It was gathered that the group marched through major roads in the city, chanting solidarity songs in support of their detained leader. But the protest, it was learnt, turned violent when members of the group attempted to block the Aba-Enugu expressway and were stopped by a combined team of military and police operatives.According to an eyewitness account, the protesters reportedly regrouped around Saint Michael Road to make bonfires, which attracted the presence of soldiers and policemen again.It was gathered that the soldiers tried all means to disperse them but they failed. Two persons were reportedly hit by stray bullets in the process of dispersing them.When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Onyeke Udevito, said the combined team of the police and soldiers only dispatched protesters with tear gas.Udevito, however, denied the knowledge of any casualty and added that 26 protesters were arrested by the police. The state police spokesperson warned members of the pro-Biafran group to desist from further protest in the city.