Sporadic Shooting in Owerri on July 31 Prompts Rumor of Prison Break linked to Biafra Militia
By Ebere Inyama
(Owerri) The self-proclaimed “Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile” (BRGIE), Simon Ekpa, has explained why the militant wing of his group, the Biafran Liberation Army, attacked and killed four policemen on duty in Owerri, Imo State in the south-eastern part of Nigeria on Monday, July 29, 2024.
The attack targeted a police checkpoint near Blossom Hotel, Irete, in Owerri West LGA (County).
In a post on his X handle a few hours after the attack, Ekpa announced that members of his Biafra Defence Forces killed four policemen in Owerri because the Nigerian government has been forcing the Southeast to remain under Nigerian sovereignty.
“The Biafra Defence Forces Owerri Command has recovered weapons from the terrorists (Nigerian security operatives) after neutralising them in numbers,” he wrote on the microblogging platform at exactly 8:50 p.m. on Monday.
“If you think you will continue to use force and terrorism tactics to force us to remain in the union, this will continue to be your faith (sic), in Biafraland,” Ekpa stated, referring to the latest attack on the police patrol team.
Since the detention of the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu by the Department of State Security Service (DSS) in 2021, Ekpa has been at the forefront in championing the call for the secession of Nigeria’s Southeast and some parts of the South-south from Nigeria.
Sporadic Shooting in Owerri Prompts Rumors of Prison Break
The Biafra Separation movement became a headline on Wednesday July 31 with rash of gunfire around the federal prison in Owerri beginning at 11:45 am. An Eons Security Intelligence post shared on X attributed the shooting to unknown gunmen. Sahara Reporters reported sporadic gunfire in several parts of Owerri, the capital of Imo State. Some observers guessed that a prison break was under way, since a mass prison break took place in Owerri on April 5, 2021 and tied to Biafran militants. Other sources told Sahara Reporters that the shooting was a false-flag attack spurred by State officials who wanted to scare locals away from participating in Thursday’s planned nationwide protests against bad governance.
Attackers Were Enforcing Sit–At–Home Order
An eye witness to the shooting of policemen on Monday, who identified herself as Miss Gloria but withheld her surname, told TruthNigeria that the gunmen drove to the police checkpoint at about 6:45 pm and opened fire on the policemen.
“The policemen mounted a road block in front of Blossom Hotel in Irete (a community in Owerri west LGA (County), to enable them to stop and search the vehicles heading to Onitsha road from Owerri as well as those heading to Owerri from Onitsha road,” Gloria told TruthNigeria.
“At about 6:45 pm, the vehicle in which the gunmen were moving stopped in front of the barricade set up by the police team and opened fire on the officers,” Gloria said. “The sounds of the gunshots were heavy, so I had to take cover to avoid being hit by stray bullets,” she went on to say.
“It was getting dark so I could neither notice the make nor the colour of the vehicle in which the gunmen were moving. But I heard someone shouting ‘Sit–at-home,’ repeatedly,” she added. The phrase, “Sit-at-home” refers to a frequently declared moratorium on travel and commerce enforced by the Biafran insurgents.
“A woman sitting in her shop located a few meters from the checkpoint also died after she was hit by stray bullets during the attack,” she said.
Ekpa Shares Video Clip Showing Rifles Collected From Policemen
Ekpa attached a video clip to the post he made via X, showing four rifles and some police case files displayed by some persons who spoke in vernacular (Igbo language) on background, claiming to have attacked and killed the operatives.
“Today is the beginning of our sit–at–home and these (policemen) came out to rob people,” a voice proclaims in the video clip.
“Our leader gave orders that nobody should come out today, because today is sit–at–home. But they feel that they are the government,” he continued.
“Our leader has told all those working for the Nigerian police and Nigerian Army to resign. So, if they refuse to resign, we will use their heads to do whatever pleases us,” the video narrator said.
Ekpa Ordered Sit–At–Home In The Southeast From July 29 To August 2, 2024
In a statement posted on his X handle, on July 21, 2024, Ekpa, ordered residents in the southeastern part of Nigeria not to come out of their homes from 29 July to 2 August, excluding August 1.
“All the Nigerian institutions within the Biafran territory will remain shut down on the 29th, 30th, 31st of July and on the 2nd of August respectively,” according to the statement.
Nigerian Police Confirm Killing Of 4 Policemen In Imo
In a statement on Tuesday July 30, 2024, the spokesperson for the Imo state police command, ASP Henry Okoye confirmed the killing of 4 policemen by gunmen in Owerri, Imo state on Monday, July 29, 2024.
“On receipt of the unfortunate incident, the Commissioner of Police, immediately mobilised to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment of the ugly incident, evacuated the lifeless bodies of the deceased, and deposited them at the mortuary for preservation.
“The injured victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where he is currently responding to treatment.
“The Commissioner of Police vowed that the Command would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the perpetrators are all arrested and brought to justice, stressing that the miscreants responsible for the senseless attack have murdered peace,” according to the statement.
On July 21, 2024, the Enugu state governor, Mr. Peter Mbah, had asked some members of the House of Representatives to consider repatriating Ekpa to Nigeria to face prosecution for treason.
Earlier, in February 2023, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, over threat by Ekpa to disrupt the country’s 2023 general elections.
Ebere Inyama is an Imo State conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
