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TimesLIVE
12-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
Gunmen kill 30 travellers in Nigeria's unstable southeast, says Amnesty
Gunmen shot dead at least 30 travellers in an attack in Nigeria's southeastern Imo state, Amnesty International said on Friday, raising fresh concerns about violence in a region rife with insecurity. More than 20 vehicles and trucks were set ablaze by the attackers, who were suspected to be members of the banned separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Amnesty said in a post on X. Imo police spokesperson Henry Okoye confirmed the attack occurred in Thursday's early hours, but declined comment on the number of fatalities. One of the assailants was killed by the police, Okoye told Reuters on Friday. A police statement said the gunmen, operating in three groups, barricaded the highway at about 4am GMT and shot sporadically before setting vehicles ablaze. "A full-scale search and cordon operation is currently under way, with security operatives combing nearby forests and surrounding areas where the suspects are believed to be hiding," the police said in the statement.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Gunmen kill three in Nigeria's southeast: Police
Representative Image (AI-generated) Gunmen blocked a highway in Nigeria's southeastern Imo state this week, killing at least three people and injuring several, police said on Saturday. Imo state police spokesman Henry Okoye told AFP that around 5:00 am (0400 GMT) on Thursday "criminal elements suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB... came out in their numbers. .. and blocked the Owerri-Okigwe highway and began to fire sporadically". He said the gunmen fired on "commuters on the road and they were able to set some vehicles ablaze and killed some innocent individuals". "For now three persons have been confirmed dead," he said. Amnesty International reported in a post on X a toll of 30. Police called that "sensationalising". Okoye said the gunmen engaged in a battle with police and one suspect was killed while another was arrested. Operation Sindoor 'Pakistan army moving its troops in forward areas': Key takeaways from govt briefing 'Pak used drones, long-range weapons, jets to attack India's military sites' 'Attempted malicious misinformation campaign': Govt calls out Pakistan's propaganda These are "miscreants who are masquerading under the umbrella of freedom fighting, perpetrating all kinds of dastardly acts, including senseless killing. They are just pure terrorists." The attack occurred on the same day President Bola Tinubu was visiting Imo's neighbouring Anambra state to launch infrastructural projects. Police blamed the attack on Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group that wants independence for the Igbo people in southeast Nigeria. Former London estate agent and founder of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu is on trial on terrorism charges in the capital Abuja.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gunmen kill 30 during ‘vicious' attack in southeast Nigeria: Rights group
At least 30 people were killed when gunmen attacked travellers in Nigeria's southeastern Imo State, according to Amnesty International. The human rights NGO reported on Friday that more than 20 commuter vehicles and trucks were set ablaze during a 'vicious attack' along the Okigwe-Owerri road the day before. The attackers are suspected of being members of the banned separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Amnesty said. 'The attack … shows callous disregard for the sanctity of life. The gunmen blocked Okigwe-Owerri highway and areas of Umuna in Onuimo LGA unleashed violence in an utter show of impunity,' Amnesty wrote on X. 'The Nigerian authorities must immediately and transparently investigate this attack and ensure that the actual perpetrators are brought to justice. International law requires the Nigerian government to promptly investigate unlawful killings to bring perpetrators to justice,' it added. Imo police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, confirmed that the attack took place in the early hours of Thursday, but declined to comment on the death toll. On Friday, Okoye told the Reuters news agency that one of the assailants had been killed by the police. According to a police statement, the gunmen, operating in three groups, blocked the highway at 04:00 GMT and shot sporadically. 'A full-scale search and cordon operation is currently underway, with security operatives combing nearby forests and surrounding areas where the suspects are believed to be hiding,' the police said. Nigeria's Premium Times also reported that the police commissioner of Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, led a joint tactical team of security operatives to the scene. According to Danjuma, the joint security team comprised personnel from Nigeria's army, the police, and the State Security Service. The IPOB, which the Nigerian government has classed as an outlawed organisation, has been campaigning for the secession of southeastern Nigeria, where the majority of people belong to the Igbo ethnic group. Following the late 1960s civil war that engulfed the Biafra region, killing more than one million people, separatist groups have continued to push for an independent state from the southeast and in some parts of the south of Nigeria.
The Star
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Gunmen kill 30 travellers in Nigeria's unstable southeast, Amnesty says
LAGOS (Reuters) - Gunmen shot dead at least 30 travellers in an attack in Nigeria's southeastern Imo state, Amnesty International said on Friday, raising fresh concerns about violence in a region rife with insecurity. More than 20 vehicles and trucks were set ablaze by the attackers, who were suspected to be members of the banned separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Amnesty said in a post on X. Imo police spokesperson Henry Okoye confirmed the attack occurred in Thursday's early hours, but declined comment on the number of fatalities. One of the assailants was killed by the police, Okoye told Reuters on Friday. A police statement said the gunmen, operating in three groups, barricaded the highway at about 0400 GMT and shot sporadically before setting vehicles ablaze. "A full-scale search and cordon operation is currently underway, with security operatives combing nearby forests and surrounding areas where the suspects are believed to be hiding," the police said in the statement. IPOB campaigns for the secession of southeastern Nigeria, where the majority belong to the Igbo ethnic group. Nigerian authorities have labelled IPOB a terrorist organisation. Civil war engulfed the Biafra region in the late 1960s, killing more than 1 million people. Thursday's attack coincided with a visit by President Bola Tinubu to the region, occurring in the same week that IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu appeared in federal court where he is facing trial on terrorism charges. Amnesty called on Nigerian authorities to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. (Reporting by Ben Ezeamalu; editing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo and Mark Heinrich)
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Gunmen kill 30 travellers in Nigeria's unstable southeast, Amnesty says
LAGOS - Gunmen shot dead at least 30 travellers in an attack in Nigeria's southeastern Imo state, Amnesty International said on Friday, raising fresh concerns about violence in a region rife with insecurity. More than 20 vehicles and trucks were set ablaze by the attackers, who were suspected to be members of the banned separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Amnesty said in a post on X. Imo police spokesperson Henry Okoye confirmed the attack occurred in Thursday's early hours, but declined comment on the number of fatalities. One of the assailants was killed by the police, Okoye told Reuters on Friday. A police statement said the gunmen, operating in three groups, barricaded the highway at about 0400 GMT and shot sporadically before setting vehicles ablaze. "A full-scale search and cordon operation is currently underway, with security operatives combing nearby forests and surrounding areas where the suspects are believed to be hiding," the police said in the statement. IPOB campaigns for the secession of southeastern Nigeria, where the majority belong to the Igbo ethnic group. Nigerian authorities have labelled IPOB a terrorist organisation. Civil war engulfed the Biafra region in the late 1960s, killing more than 1 million people. Thursday's attack coincided with a visit by President Bola Tinubu to the region, occurring in the same week that IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu appeared in federal court where he is facing trial on terrorism charges. Amnesty called on Nigerian authorities to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
