Army Clampdown On IPOB At Nnobi: Anambra State has witnessed more than fair share of the recurrent Nigeria Army clampdown on the Indigenous People Of Biafra ( IPOB) and its security unit, Eastern Security Network ( ESN ) since their campaign to end the agitation for self determination currently going on in the Eastern region of the country.
In their determination to forcefully end the agitations in the Eastern region, several innocent persons have been brutally slaughtered, many still missing and many more held in unknown detention centres, incommunicado.
One of the incidents took place at Nnobi, along Nnobi-Nnewi road, Idemili South Local Government Area on Friday 29, 2021, in which the Army in their bid to silence the IPOB in that Local Government, descended on the town around 4pm and opened fire.
During that event, during which period the Army were holding their exercise in the South East Code- named, Operation Golden Dawn, an IPOB Director/Fundraiser, Chief Osita Mbakogu was killed.
His son, Uzochukwu Mbakogu who was a Coordinator of the IPOB youth wing in the entire Idemili South Local Government, was among those arrested and taken away by the Army and has since not been seen.
Not only that, 8 people were gunned down instantly and up till now, 6 persons including Uzochukwu Mbakogu are still missing.
It was gathered that Uga in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, has since witnessed several visits by men of the Nigeria Army, in their search for anyone related to late Chief Osita Mbakogu.
This is because the Mbakogu’s family hails from Uga in Aguata Local Government Area.
In their efforts to exonerate themselves of blame in the callous murder, arrest of innocent people, as well as wantom destruction of people’s properties, the Army Public Relations Officer, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on October 30, 2021, claimed that members of the IPOB had attacked their own troops stationed at Ekwulobia round about.
The statement further claimed a reinforcement of the Army arrived at Ekwulobia and pursued the fleeing IPOB men up to Nnobi where they attacked them, following contact with them.This is spurious.
Eye witnesses who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity countered this.
They informed that the only known IPOB members in their community were Chief Mbakogu and his family, and they had lived in Nnobi for over 25 years.
They wondered why the Army would embark on destroying the entire community because of one man.
