Nigerian Army, Police under fire over attack on IPOB members in Rivers
Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, has attacked men of the Nigerian Army and police for firing on protesting members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Friday, January 20.
Omokri says the Nigerian Army should fire at insurgents and not on unarmed IPOB protesters.
Omokri said the actions of the Nigerian security agencies was wrong and unacceptable. According to him, the security agencies should face fighting insurgents and keep Nigerians safe rather than shooting unarmed citizens.
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Omokri also feels that the actions of the Nigerian security forces would draw international sympathy to the cause of Biafrans.
Former education minister and convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group Oby Ezekwesili agrees.
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The former World Bank executive wondered why Nigerian security forces chose to use live bullets when the option of pepper spray was available.
She noted that the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force still has a lot to learn when it comes to handling protesters.
The police has however denied reports that it killed IPOB members.
Nnamdi Omoni, who is the spokesperson of the Rivers state police command, confirmed the incident but said no one died.
He said:"To the best of my knowledge, there was no casualty as the police merely employed minimal action, which involved the use of tear gas to disperse protesters.”