The claim is contained in a statement by the Command’s PRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna, on behalf of Police Commissioner Mustapha Bala.
The News Agency of Nigeria gathered that five members of the group were shot dead in Osusu Aba on Friday as they were on a procession across Aba.
Some of the residents said the group was protesting peacefully without disturbance.
An eyewitness, Chinomso Aka, said the group was protesting continued detention of the group leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on Friday when the incident happened.
Meanwhile, Bala said, “On March 31, 2023 around 11:45am, policemen in show of force within Aba metropolis came under attack by proscribed IPOB/ESN members.
“They were armed with petrol bombs, machetes, battle axes and other dangerous weapons.
“The attack was repelled by the police operatives with minimal casualties while majority of the hoodlums scampered for safety.
“However, normalcy has returned in the area.”
The Command, therefore, warned any person or group intending to scuttle the relative peace enjoyed in the state to rethink such an idea.
NAN
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