Recall the invasion and bloody attack on innocent Biafrans by a combined Team of the Nigeria Security forces in Emene, Enugu State on the 23rd of August 2020. An unprovoked sporadic shooting that claimed lives of several people, even passers-by where not spared. Majority of the lucky survivors are still nursing wounds sustained from the gunshots.
Today, the personnel of IPOB media Team visited a survivor and got first-hand details of what transpired on that faithful day.
Question: Sir please can you introduce yourself to us.
Victim: My name is Mazi Obinna Iroele.
Question: We are members of IPOB State Media Team, and we are here to get a detail of the attack by the Nigeria Security Team in Emene, last August. We were told that the incident took place at your worship place, how long have you people been using the place for worship?
Answer: We have been using that place for about four months without any attack or trouble with anyone.
Question: During your worship, were you approached by these Security Team for any demand before the attack?
Answer: I am an eye witness to what happened on the 23rd of August, 2020. We were not approached by The Combined Team of the Nigeria Security Forces when they arrived. We were about to start prayers before they invaded us. In fact, when they arrived, we didn't understand their mission. We were still waiting to hear their query and suddenly they started shooting sporadically, we started running for our lives, many fell, several wounded and so many were arrested. There were so much casualties. Some of those arrested were taken to undisclosed locations because their families couldn't find them.
Question: Do you know how many people that died on the spot?
Answer: I can't tell because we were all running for our lives but as we ran, i saw some that fell, bodies ridden with bullets. The Police were taking some dead bodies into their Vans to cover traces. So, I can't ascertain the number of casualties.
Question: How did you escape from this Carnage?
Answer: I could not escape. They caught me and threw me into their Van and was taken to their station.
Question: Briefly tell us your encounter in Police custody.
Answer: When they arrested us, they tied our hands together through our backs. On getting to the State CID, they asked us to jump down from the Police vehicle with our hands still tied together; they started beating us. They hit my head with their guns. And from that moment, our worst agonies started as we all saw hell in the hands of the Nigerian Police. After the torture, they took our statements. They demanded to know whom our Leader is. I told them that our Leader is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. They asked for our Leader here in Biafra Land and I said we don't have any Leader here in Biafra Land but only Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
They took us to the Office of the Commissioner of Police (CP) for another interview. The CP and other Police Officers interrogated us. Channels TV was recording us. They asked to know the reason we gathered in the Community Secondary School, Emene, Enugu. They asked if we were gathering for morning exercise or what?
I demanded for microphone to answer them, I told them that we were members of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), and I am an eye witness to what happened. I looked into the CP's face and told him that his men came to the place where we were gathering to pray and started shooting at us as if we were armed robbers, they killed many of us and what have you done to condemn such cruelty to innocent unarmed people? He didn't respond to me.
Question: What did the CP say, regarding the organization (IPOB) you belong to?
Answer: Yes, he said we are terrorists and if we don't stop our militancy that we should get ready to leave Enugu State for him. I started wondering how a Fulani man from Sahel will come to Biafra Land and asked me to leave my Father's land for him. Is it possible?
Of course, it's not possible. There's no way we can leave our' Motherland for them. Then, a female Police officer approached me and said to me that I should have denied being a member of Indigenous People Of Biafra. And I asked her for what reason should I deny my identity? so that you will be released she replied. And I asked her, if you allow me to go what happens to those that were arrested with me? you shouldn't have arrested us in the first place.
Remember I was arrested because of IPOB so I cannot deny IPOB no matter what. Another Police officer asked if I wanted to remain in Prison custody and I said, Yes, lock us up but bear it in mind that the end shall be victorious.
Question: There were several reports both on social media that about 21 people were shot dead and that scores were injured and many others arrested. Do you have anything to say concerning that report?
Answer: Yes. In the Van where I was taken away, we were 5, I don't know about the number in other Vans. I heard Police killed 21 people but I can tell you, they could have killed more than that. I read where IPOB said they killed 47 and arrested 21 and injured so many others. This is a clearer report.
Question: We heard some people are still missing and some of those dead bodies yet to be recovered.
Answer: This is because some dead bodies were thrown into Milken Hill Forest between Newmarket and Ngwo inside those big holes there-in, some buried along Enugu - Port Harcourt Express near UNTH, while others were dumped in some other places still hidden to us. And from a reliable source, I realised that some of our arrested members were taken to Abuja and some others were taken to other prisons.
Question: After your encounter with the police under their custody, where you people taken to Court?
Answer: Yes. we went to Court. The first day we went, Court did not seat and we came back. The second time we were taken to Court was the day they brought their charge against us. Which they read out as:
1. Treasonable felony
2. Murder.
How can you come to a gathering and open fire, killed people and you turn around and charge the survivors for murder? The Judge asked them if they had any evidence for their claims they said no. That was the day they took us to Nsukka Prison on the 31st of August 2020. So, on the 31st of August we were remanded at Nsukka Prison after their failure to produce any evidence regarding their claims.
Question: Were you people fed in Prison; and how?
Answer: Before food was served to us, they treated us as if we were criminals. They stripped us naked right there in the Prison premises, making jest of our leader MNK and IPOB. After the humiliation, they served us some horrible groundnut soup with potassium in it. According to them, they add potassium in our food so that we don't jump the Prison fence. This is just wickedness in the highest order, indirectly Killing innocent people very slowly in Prison as a result of eating poison. No wonder, people are dying massively in Nigerian Prisons from unidentified health related issues.
Question: Among the arrested IPOB members, after you people were released were there any one still in Prison today?
Answer: Yes! We have three of them inside the Maximum Prison that have not been released. They are the ones the DSS arrested earlier that morning at the School gate on their way going to the worship centre, and that was before I came. At first, we didn't know where they were being taken to until they brought us to Nsukka Prison, and that's where we met ourselves.
Then they came to Enugu before us and went to Court the first day, and on the second appearance in Court they claimed that their case file got missing and till now it has not been found. One will ask how can a case file be missing? Maybe the Judge or whoever in charge has been bought over. So those whose case files was reported missing are still being held in Prison today.
Question: What is your opinion or suggestion on how to free the innocent prisoners dumped in different Prisons in Nigeria?
My view on this is Restoration of BIAFRA Nation. The enormity of fraud and crime going on in these Prison cannot be cleaned up in 100 years except Nigeria is shut down and a brand new system put in place. There are so Many of the inmates that do not have Lawyer to speak for them. There are Deaf and Dump people, mentally retarded persons, I mean people with Disability are dumped and forgotten in the Prisons. The Prisons in Nigeria is a Den of Corruption. If you understand what this means, then you will know that Nigeria is a crime against humanity. I know one of the inmates, Paul by name that has been in Prison for long and is now going mad and left in same space with sane people.
End....
Mazi Obinna Iroele, once again we say thank you for your courage. Do you have any word of encouragement for Biafrans worldwide?
My words of encouragement are that our people should be resolute in this struggle for our freedom. To continue to give full support to our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. I appreciate also the IPOB Enugu State Media Crew who followed up on our attack and reported it to the world in good time. Thanks for this interview.
We also appreciate your time, Sir. Thanks for availing yourself for this interview.
Media Crew
1. Mazi Nelson O. Igube
2. Mazi Nkwuda Simon
3. Mazi Okafor Odinaka
4. Mazi Chinedu Onuoha
Compiled by:
Nelson Igube and Okoafor Odinaka
For: Enugu State Media
Edited by:
Ngozichukwu Ada-Dav
For: Enugu State Media
Published by:
Chibuike John Nebeokike
For: Enugu State Media
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