Nigerian army denies manhandling pro-Biafra women

The Nigerian army has refuted media reports that they manhandled and arrested a number of women during a meeting of a section of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group.

The army said its men on patrol in the area that the said meeting was happening had confirmed that no such incident as manhandling or arrest took place on Friday.

Most local media sources and pictures circulating on social media suggested that the women who were meeting to protest in Abiriba, located in the southern Abia State had been dispersed by some soldiers, hence their decision to undress and walk the streets.

The army in a response to the claims by IPOB described the claims as a false and criminal representation, adding that the group only wanted cheap propaganda to discredit the army.

“Let me make it clear that the drama and the allegation that followed were deliberately staged by IPOB. The allegation, just like others before it, is false, sheer IPOB’s propaganda to discredit the Nigerian Army, which at the moment, they will not succeed,’‘ Col Sagir Musa, an army spokesman said.

The leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, only recently gained bail after he was detained for over a year and a half on charges of treason.

Kanu is pushing for a separate republic of Biafra nearly 50 years after a previous declaration of independence sparked a civil war which left more than a million people dead. Members of the group have occasionally clashed with members of Nigeria’s security apparatus during protests.