Nigeria back to normal

ONITSHA, Nigeria, December 08 -- Life returned to its usual frenetic pace in eastern Nigeria's main cities on Wednesday as separatist militants declared a two-day protest a success, but at the cost of at least two lives.

The commercial centre of the city of Onitsha was bustling again, after two days in which heavily armed police fought street battles with stone-throwing militants campaigning for the breakaway region of Biafra.

Nigerian press reports from other major eastern cities confirmed the separatists' claims to have disrupted economic life in Enugu, Aba and Awka, while major clashes were reported in Owerri.

It was unclear how many protesters and bystanders were killed by police bullets.

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) had claimed that 17 unarmed people were shot dead, and reports in Wednesday's press put the figure between three and 20.

Police had denied that anyone was killed. Police commissioner Felix Ogbaudu said on Wednesday: "I have no reports of anything like that."

But, two deaths had been independently confirmed. Nurses at God's Foundation Hospital in Onitsha said schoolgirl Ogechi Okeke had died from bullet wounds on Tuesday, while relatives showed the agency's photographer the corpse of 29-year-old protester Ikechukwu Okere.

Despite the ferocity of the police clampdown, those campaigning for the 40-million-strong Igbo people to secede and form a Republic of Biafra, east of the Niger River, were in a triumphant mood after proving their ability to cause an economic shut-down with the stay-at-home protest.

Uchenna Madu of the separatist group said: "The civil disobedience and non-co-operation with the Nigerian government has been a huge success.

"The sit-at-home order has been lifted. Markets can now re-open for business. Offices, banks, schools, petrol stations and other commercial activities can resume."

As he spoke, state workers were clearing the debris from the previous days' burning barricades from the streets, and riot police squads were seen pulling back from positions along the roads.

Onitsha market, which was strategically placed on the lowest crossing point on the Niger river and was reputedly west Africa's biggest trading centre, started to bubble back to life as traders returned to their stalls.

A builders' merchant Patrick Ejiofor said: "The sacrifice was worth it. We have sent a clear message to Nigeria that we Biafrans can be united and speak with one voice."

Another trader, Saviour Okafor, agreed: "This action has rekindled our resolve to pursue the Biafran struggle until victory is ascertained." - AFP

Back to Top

Back to News