Posted by Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha on
THE death-toll yesterday increased to 22 in the clash between security operatives and suspected members of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) as police in Onitsha, Anambra State recovered 12 more corpses from the River Niger.
THE death-toll yesterday increased to 22 in the clash between security operatives and suspected members of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) as police in Onitsha, Anambra State recovered 12 more corpses from the River Niger.
Onitsha, the commercial city of the state, it would be recalled, witnessed clashes and sporadic shootings on Tuesday following alleged killing of 10 MASSOB members by the joint security team.
The security operatives from 302 artillery regiment Onitsha, Anambra State police command and its Delta State counterpart allegedly were on special mission to flush out kidnappers at the Enenchele Island who have terrorised the city in the past few months.
Meanwhile, Police yesterday said the corpses were recovered from the River Niger after the clash with the kidnappers at the island.
When Daily Champion visited the Ose Okwuodu end of the River bank yesterday, three recovered corpses were seen, even as an equal number of suspects were arrested.
Daily Champion gathered that the high casualty was recorded because the suspects were taken unawares at the island.
The security team led by David Onwughai, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and head of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) stormed the island early Tuesday morning, killing about 10 and arresting several suspects in the bloody duel.
Some witnesses said yesterday that they saw soldiers combing the Island which hitherto was occupied by suspected MASSOB members.
The Onitsha Police Area Commander, Rasheed Akintunde, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP)who confirmed the recovery of the corpses, however was not forthcoming with further information. He merely, directed our correspondent to visit state police command spokesman, Mr. Fidelis Agbo, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) for detailed information.
He, however, said the operation to bring to an end the activities of the kidnappers was still on.
But MASSOB leadership has denied that its men were involved in the kidnap, stressing that those perpetuating the criminal act on the island were not their members
The MASSOB's regional administrator for Onitsha, Comrade Samuel Edeson, said the group did not deploy anybody to the Island, remarking that any one caught indulging in kidnap or abduction be arrested and punished accordingly.
The group, he said was at the moment occupied with its non-violent method of actualising its dream as well as accomplishing,' the release of its leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike who has been languishing in detention in Abuja.