Nigerian Army accused of attacking members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, who were allegedly demonstrating peacefully in Onitsha, Anambra State

Participates at ‘State of the Nation Conference’, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association and held in Abuja on Tuesday 31st May 2016,  accused Nigerian Army of attacking members of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

The Army was also accused of attacking members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, who were allegedly demonstrating peacefully in Onitsha, Anambra State on Monday.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who was represented by Brig.-Gen. J. Hamakim, said the demonstrations by IPOB, leading to a clash between the protesters and security forces which left two policemen and 30 others dead in Onitsha, Anambra State on Monday, were not peaceful.

Hamakim said, “Remember that lives were lost, policemen were killed, some were thrown overboard and the military has rules of engagement.

“The question is how peaceful is the peaceful demonstration. How peaceful was the demonstration at that time? If it was that peaceful, how come we lost security agencies.

“The rule of engagement is that if you feel threatened, you have the mandate to respond. What we can say is that was not at all a demonstration that you can say was peaceful.”

Various heads of anti-corruption and security agencies, including the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase; Controller-General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru; and Director-General of the Department of State Service, Lawal Daura; were represented by officers of their agencies at the event.

NBA President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh; the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Nasiru Ajanah; Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Anti-Corruption, Mr. Babajide Akinloye, two contenders for the office of the NBA presidency, Messrs Abubakar Mahmud and Joe Kyari-Gadzama, among many other Senior Advocates of Nigeria were at the event.

A member of the House of Representative, Linda Ikpeazu, represented the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, as the Chairman of the event.