Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kpirikpiri Police Division, Ebonyi State, CSP John John, on Sunday evening escaped death when members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and security agents clashed.
IPOB members were said to be having their convention in the school when the police got wind of it and stormed the area.
This led to a bloody clash between the security agents and the proscribed group.
The DPO, John, who was attacked with stones and other dangerous weapons, is said to be nursing injuries he sustained in the melee.
However, the police arrested an Abakaliki based legal practitioner, Mr Orogwu Cyril Ndubuisi, and his fiancé, who were said to be with the IPOB members during their meeting in the school.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Loveth Odah, said the IPOB members started attacking the security agents immediately they sighted them.
The PPRO said the IPOB member hit John with heavy stones on the head, adding that he would have died but for the helmet, he was wearing and bulletproof vest he also wore.
She said: “Members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) assembled unlawfully and the information got to us, that was on October 27, 2019, at Oguzoronweya Primary School in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State by 2.50 p.m. On receiving the information, men of Operation Puff Adder of our command, in active collaboration of other security agencies, went to the place.
“We thought that IPOB members were just normal people that gathered together to have unlawful meeting even when they know they are not lawful in Nigeria. But yesterday was very different.
As soon as police got to the area, to their greatest surprise, Mr John John, the DPO of Kpirikpiri Division, was seriously attacked.
If not because he was seriously kitted as a policeman having his helmet on him and his bulletproof, he would have been killed. By now you would have just heard that a Chief Superintendent of Police is dead.
“Their lawyer, who was with the IPOB members, was arrested.
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I talked with him and I was surprised that he denied being their legal adviser. He said he was taking their briefs.
I don’t know the difference between a legal advisor and somebody who takes a brief on organisation…
“Many of them ran away but we were able to arrest at least six of them; they are in custody. They are fully dressed in IPOB uniform.” She said.
