The police on Friday arrested three members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State while receiving the leader of the pro-Biafra group, Nnamdi Kanu, during his visit to the area.
The IPOB members were said to have been apprehended after Kanu had addressed a huge crowd at a place known as Oyigbo West.
It was learnt that a huge number of IPOB supporters, who got wind of the arrest of their colleagues, besieged the police station, where they were kept.
A source in the community told our correspondent that a senior police officer, who appeared to be in charge of the police station, ordered the immediate release of the IPOB supporters.
“As the man (Kanu) left, about three persons, who were among the supporters of IPOB, were arrested. Other supporters heard of it and moved to the police station where those arrested were taken to.
“Somebody that looked like a senior officer in charge of the place immediately ordered their release,” the community source added.
Kanu had made an unexpected appearance in the local government, where he was received by thousands of supporters.
The supporters had trooped into Oyigbo from within the local government area, Aba, Iriebe, Eleme and Port Harcourt to receive the IPOB leader.
Kanu told the crowd that there was hope for Biafra, even as he urged them to show their support towards the achievement of the goal.
Thanking them for their show of solidarity, he said that there would be no election in the South-East, except the people were given a date to hold a referendum on the issue of Biafra.
The IPOB leader urged them not to be violent, adding that he considered Rivers State as part of Biafra.
He challenged anybody doubting that Rivers was part of Biafra to conduct a referendum.
Kanu was surrounded by some youths clad in yellow and black attire while others, who mounted a guard around him to ensure he was not mobbed by his supporters, donned red attire.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said he did not think that anybody was arrested.
“I don’t think anybody was arrested. We ensured that there was no breakdown of law and order. Even though they said he (Kanu) addressed them (crowd), he did not stay long before he left. He was seen off to the bridge.
“There was no breach of peace and there was no apprehension or fear,” Omoni said.
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