At least seven people sustained serious injuries on Sunday when members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) clashed with Nigerian soldiers in Umuahia, Abia State.

Some reports claimed that  soldiers from the 145 Brigade of the Nigerian Army invaded the residence of IPOB’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu and shot at pro-Biafra agitators. That claim has however been countered by the Army who said IPOB supporters confronted them by blocking their way.

In a statement released by the Nigerian Army, its Assistant Director, Public Relations, Oyegoke Gbadamosi said some IPOB supporters blocked the road while the troop were passing and that led to the confrontation.

“It was a group of suspected IPOB militants that blocked the road against troops of 145 batallion while on show of force along FMC-World Bank Road in Umuahia Town, Abia State at about 6:30pm today (Sunday),” the statement read.

“They insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent female passerby and a soldier, Corporal Kolawole Matthew.”

Gbadamosi said the soldiers were then prompted to fire warning shots into the air to disperse the agitators, adding that no life was lost in the clash as against the recent stories making the rounds.

He therefore enjoined the general public to disregard the rumours and fictitious videos and photographs in circulation about the victims of the attack as the injured soldier and passerby have both been taken to the Unit’s medical inspection room where they are currently receiving treatment.

However, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to Kanu has refuted the claims by the army, accusing them of injuring many people in a brazen attempt to take the life of his client.

He stated that at least five members of Kanu’s family were brutally wounded while an unspecified number of persons lost their lives during the incident.

“Just to alert the world that the Nigeria military personnel under the command of the Chief of Army Staff is presently laying siege on my client’s country home in Umuahia.

“They have continued to shoot sporadically into the air through which about five of his family members were brutally wounded and some unfortunately killed. There is no doubt that the present deployment of troops in to the south-east is to hunt for my client and possibly eliminate him,” Ejiofor said shortly after the incident.

This altercation is happening barely two days after the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Tukur Buratai announced a military operation tagged ‘Operation Python Dance’ in which he ordered the deployment of troops to the five south-eastern Nigerian states to stop violent secessionist agitations.