Soldiers deployed to Oyigbo, trapped Journalist, residents call for help

*We deployed soldiers to maintain law an order–Army PRO

BY IBRAHIM BAKARE

Soldiers have been deployed to the crisis-ridden Oyigbo in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers state, where over 500 suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, attacked  and burnt two Police Stations and 15 cars, including and Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC on Wednesday.

Expectedly, there have been sporadic gunfire through last night up to the early hours of Friday, morning with residents including a Journalist and his family calling for help as people are running Helter-Skelter for safety amidst booming gunfire.

In one of the posts sent the affected Journalist to colleagues said “From last night till now guys help us … gunfire ranging. I learnt they have evacuated the expatriates working in the Afam Power Station last in Oyigbo night”.

Also sources have confirmed that shootings have continued in parts of Oyigbo and Iriebe in Obio-Akpor Localsince last night.

An unconfirmed number of houses are also said to have be burnt. There are fears that some persons have suffered gunshots injuries.

When contacted, Major Charles Ekeocha Army Public Relations Officer,APRO of the 6 Division Nigeria Army, Port  Harcourt confirmed the deployment of Soldiers to Oyigbo “to maintain lives  and properties of citizens in the area”.

Graphics Photos released by Rivers Police Command on havoc allegedly wrecked by suspected members of IPOB in Oyigbo

 Meanwhile the Police Command in a press statement yesterday said “hoodlums numbering about 500 suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) invaded the Oyigbo Area Command, Oyigbo and Afam Police Stations, setting them ablaze and damaging about fifteen vehicles including one Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) , two Police Officers were killed and some arms and ammunition carted away by the hoodlums”.

Police had said that “in another attack at the Mile one Police Station, the same rampaging IPOB members who operated under the guise of #ENDSARS Protests made frantic attempt at burning the Mile One Police Station and the office of Eagle Crack Squad but were however repelled by the superior fire power of the Police, as three of them were fatally wounded in the exchange of gunfire, while eight (8) of them were arrested and immediately transferred to State CID where they are currently helping in our investigation.”

Governor Nyesom Wike had declared 24 hours Curfew in entire Oyigbo Local area and other parts of the state on Wednesday in a statewide broadcast.