Gun wielding Biafra separatists on Wednesday set ablaze a vehicle and some motorcycles at Nwakpu market in Ndufu Alike in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Current Matters gathered that the gunmen all dressed in black stormed the market,shot sporadically in the area which is few metres away from the Deputy Governor’s House
They ordered traders and shop owners to vacate the market and observe the sit-at-home.
An unidentified man was said to be hit by a bullet in the leg though his situation is currently unclear.
Recall that one Simon Ekpa had last week announced a five – day sit – at – home order in addition to the Weekly sit at home days which happens on Mondays throughout the South East.
Commander of Ebubeagu security outfit Friday Nnanna Ujor who confirmed the attack.said the attackers were not members of the Indigenous people of Biafra( IPOB) but hoodlums who invaded the Nwakpu market to rob traders of their belongings.
However, some residents who preferred unnamed said the opposite. They claimed that the gunmen operated in the manner suggestive of terrorists saying only members of IPOB could have enforced that sit- at home action.
Meanwhile,a number of prominent South Easterners and organisations have dissociated themselves from the 5-day sit- at- home order by Ekpa,an acclaimed loyalist of IPOB leader,Nnamdi Kanu They include,IPOB, some lawyers and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Apex socio – cultural organization of the Igbos and are calling for his extradition and prosecution
In a statement signed by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary General worldwide accused Ekpa,a Finnish based fellow of instigating the current killings in the region
Part of the statement reads
“Ndigbo has identified Simon Ekpa as the overseas provocateur and instigator for the current killings in Imo State, the destruction of public properties in Enugu State and disturbance of public peace in Ebonyi State”
The organization therefore vowed to take the matter up with relevant organisations,Finish Embassy in Nigeria and Nigerians in Diaspora to seek ways to bring Simon Ekpa back to Nigeria to face prosecution and trials over the killings of south easterners and burning of public properties.
