Commercial activities in the oil rich Port Harcourt, Rivers state are currently being hampered by pro-Biafra protesters moving en masse in strategic areas with the intention to see the governor to convey their message.
The protesters taking over the streets of Port Harcourt
Thousands of members of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, stormed the streets of Port Harcourt, today, Tuesday on a massive protest, according to SaharaReporters.
They took over the Aba, Oyigbo axis of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, southern Nigeria, shutting down the Port Harcourt/Aba expressway.
Over 50 military and police trucks and armoured tanks conveyed personnel to the busy Eleme Junction interchange to prevent the protesters from getting to Government House, Port Harcourt, where they insist they must see Governor Nyesom Wike.
The protest crippled movement of people who have business and social activities in and around Aba, Oyigbo and the East West road Eleme, Onne Axis that is host to two major Port Harcourt refineries, Indoroma-Eleme Petrochemicals, Onne Ports Oil and Gas Free Zone that has over 100 companies located in it.
Vehicular movement was stalled at the Eleme Junction interchange where there is a heavy presence of combined team of military, police and other security agencies.
At the time of this report soldiers and policemen deployed at First Artillery at Okporo road had started firing both teargas and life bullets to scare the protesters. There is confusion everywhere as people scamper in all directions to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
An eyewitness said that, “thousands of protesters coming from Aba, Abia State seem to have overwhelmed the security men who are reluctant to use maximum force. Please nobody should dare come near Aba Port Harcourt/Expressway or Okporo road.
"As I call you now, I am speaking from where I am taking cover to avoid stray bullets from obviously infuriated security men who are being dared by pro-Biafra youths from Aba who had grounded business and social activities in the commercial city of Aba.”