The Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Stanley Ogoigbe, has denied the alleged killing of members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra by naval officers in Anambra.
The CNC, which is headquartered in Yenagoa, is in charge of Anambra, Kogi, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
Ogoigbe, who spoke to reporters at the command’s headquarters on Saturday, said it became necessary for him to personally clear the air on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
There have been conflicting reports that there was a clash between members of a pro-Biafra group, the ‘Indigenous Peoples of Biafra’ and naval officers in Onitsha, where some members of the group were allegedly killed.
While some reports put the death toll at 10, other reports say between three and five people lost their lives.
The FOC stated that naval personnel only shot into the air to scare a large number of MASSOB members, who were on a protest towards the Onitsha head bridge, as the protesting youths had already overrun the policemen on duty.
He stressed that the naval officers “did not injure, let alone kill a soul.”
Ogoigbe said, “To our surprise, MASSOB started claiming that the Navy has killed two of their men. I don’t know what they wish to achieve with this propaganda, fabricating stories against the Navy.
“We just want all well meaning Nigerians to know that no MASSOB member was killed in that area of Anambra State where the Navy was keeping the peace and carrying out their legitimate duties.
“It was not only Navy that was there, the police and other security agencies were also there, and they all confirmed that nobody was killed. I don’t know where MASSOB manufactured their story.
“That is why I am taking the responsibility to clear the air to avoid an unwarranted tension.”
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