Trucks Trapped, Passengers Stranded As Nigerian Soldiers Block Imo River

Numerous trucks, petroleum tankers, and vehicles were reportedly stranded in the vicinity of the Oyigbo area along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway in Rivers State on Friday.

It was gathered that security operatives blocked the Imo River border between Rivers and Imo over the Biafria Day sit-at-home.

The development was following the  killing of some soldiers by suspected members of the proscribed  Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia State who were enforcing the sit-at-home order.

The long queues kept hundreds of passengers stranded as soldiers restricted movement to the neighbouring Abia State.

“People travelling, look at pregnant women are also here because of what they said happened in Aba,” a source, who spoke in confidence, said.

It was learnt that the blockade was caused by sporadic shooting early Thursday morning by suspected IPOB members at the Oyigbo roundabout and kom-kom community in Oyigbo LGA in Rivers State.

The trucks and vehicles carrying passengers and foods to different parts of the Southeast  were said to have queued along the border between Abia and Rivers State.

Some of the drivers said they were at a spot from Thursday as a result of the barricade to Friday.

One of them said: “Heavily armed Army men blocked the Imo River and the border between Abia and Rivers State. So no movement because of what is happening in Abia State. We have been like this since Friday morning.

“We heard that the IPOB people in Abia State are having problems with soldiers, that some soldiers and civilians were killed. That is why we packed here.

“But we are hoping that the security will improve so that they will remove the blockade for us to continue our journey.”

A truck driver identified as Ikechukwu said they slept on the road from Thursday evening till Friday.

“You can see that soldiers have blocked this Imo gate here. So there is no road and we have been here without food. Let the government come to our aid because already there is serious hardship in this country”, he said.

But in Oyigbo town, residents deny any shooting, saying the place was peaceful.

It was observed that there was calm in the area as vehicles moved freely and shops were seen attending the customers.

A resident, who spoke in confidence, said: “I’m living in Oyigbo here and there is nothing like gunshots. Where there is a problem is in Abia State after the fracas on Thursday.

“But the information we are getting now is that soldiers have blocked the expressway, cars and trucks cannot move. But Oyigbo is calm.”