The Anambra State Government yesterday confirmed that a total of 26 arrests have been made from the MASSOB/IPOB demonstration that took place at Nkpor in Idemili Local Government Area of the state on Monday, saying that out of the total number of arrests made, none was from Anambra State.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Awka to clarify the State Government’s stand, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication Strategy, Chief Tony Nnacheta, said that the youths belonging to the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) staged a peaceful protest which was hijacked by some elements from outside the state.

He maintained that report from the police stated that the elements blocked the highways, set bonfires and engaged the police in a fiasco, thereby creating anxiety and panic in the town.

He reiterated that no attack took place at St. Edmund Catholic Church nor shots fired at the compound as being speculated, adding no house was also razed.

In his words; “Nothing happened inside St. Edmund Catholic Church. From the police report made available to us, 26 arrests have been made and none of them are indigenes of Anambra State. Matchetes, charms, banners of IPOB were recovered from those arrested.

“The report of policemen being harmed happened in Delta State and the people that caused the havoc came from Delta, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi states. Government is working to determine the total number of people killed or injured in other to ascertain the number of casualties.

“The killing is regrettable but there is a law guiding demonstration in Nigeria hence, anybody that want to demonstrate must do it in line with stipulated laws of the land. You don’t carry firearms.”

While noting that government will soon embark on mass orientation of the people, Nnacheta said that the State Government did not order any shoot at sight adding: “Perish the thought.”

Though police are laying claim to being attacked first by the demonstrators, investigations have it that members of the security personnel shot indiscriminately at people especially at points where there were crowds of protesters.

•Photo shows Anambra Police Commissioner Hosea Karma.

Update news