The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase has called on the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze N’digbo to halt the ongoing protests in some states by the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra and the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The IG asked Ohanaeze to save law-abiding and innocent citizens in the affected states from the hardship being meted to them by MASSOB and IPOB.
Arase, who said this in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole on Thursday in Abuja, reminded the protesters, particularly those embarking on violent street protests that, “such actions are criminalised by law, and anybody arrested will be treated as such under the appropriate legislations.”
The statement said, ”The IG, while calling on the leadership of Ohanaeze to wade into these superfluous protests, to save the law-abiding and innocent citizens in the affected states from the hardship being meted by the groups, reminded those embarking on violent protests/assemblies that such actions are criminalised by law, and anybody arrested will be treated as such under the appropriate legislations.”
The IG denied speculations in the social media that the police had killed some MASSOB and IPOB members during their protests, stressing that despite provocation, police officers had managed the situation with a high sense of responsibility and professionalism.
He called on the citizens to disregard the allegation by the two groups, describing it as false and a calculated attempt to attract undue attention and sympathy. (Punch)
