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MASS ARREST OF IPOB MEMBERS SPARKS FEAR IN ABIA COMMUNITIES
MASS ARREST OF IPOB MEMBERS SPARKS FEAR IN ABIA COMMUNITIES
HUMAN RIGHTS
The Nigerian Record
9/18/20172 min read
Dozens detained, families forced to pay for release
By Our Correspondent, Aba
Dozens of suspected IPOB members have been arrested following clashes with the Nigerian Army in Umuahia, sparking fear among families in Abia and Anambra States.
The arrests are part of the military's Operation Python Dance II, which commenced on September 15 across the South-East and parts of Cross River State. Soldiers moved into Umuahia and surrounding areas, rounding up individuals suspected of being IPOB members.
Among those arrested was Gerald Aguoha, a businessman from Abatete in Anambra State. He was one of dozens detained during the crackdown.
Aguoha was released after five days in detention. He spoke to our correspondent by phone from an undisclosed location, too afraid to return to his home in Aba.
"I was at a peaceful rally in Umuahia," he said. "Soldiers came. They beat us. They called us Biafran terrorists. One of them took a knife and cut my back. He said, 'You will always remember this.'"
Aguoha was detained for five days before his release. His family, including his elderly mother and elder brother, sold property to secure his freedom. His brother sold his car. His mother sold her farmland.
Since his release, Aguoha has gone into hiding. He is afraid to return to his home or his business.
His mother, who lives in Abatete, Anambra State, said security agents have visited her home several times looking for her son.
"Men came to my house. They said they were looking for my son. They threatened me," she said. "I am afraid for him. He is not a criminal. He only attended a peaceful rally."
The fear is not limited to Aguoha's family.
Sources indicate that families across Abia State have been forced to pay large sums to secure the release of detained relatives. One family member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "We had no choice. They would not let him go otherwise."
The Nigerian Army has maintained that Operation Python Dance II is a routine military exercise.
The operation is intended to address "violent agitations, assassinations, banditry and other security challenges" in the South-East. However, human rights groups have expressed concern over the use of force against civilians.
Amnesty International said it was investigating reports of violence following the clashes between the military and IPOB supporters in Umuahia. The organization's director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, called on authorities to "ensure the security forces prioritize the protection of people and avoid excessive force."
The arrests come after the Abia State Police Commissioner paraded 59 suspected IPOB members at Ariaria Police Station in Aba.
The commissioner confirmed they would be prosecuted under the anti-terrorism act. However, sources indicate that some of those arrested have been released after families intervened.
For Aguoha, the experience has left him traumatized.
"Please, tell the world what they are doing to us," he pleaded. "I am not a criminal. I only wanted peace for my people."