Today, an assemblage of armed individuals, allegedly affiliated with the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), launched an assault on unsuspecting Nigerian citizens at Ishieke Market in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State.

In an online video, a group of armed individuals can be observed discharging firearms at Nigerians within the market premises. Their primary demand was the immediate release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The armed men explicitly declared that lifting the sit-at-home directive, which had been enforced in the South-East, was contingent upon Mr. Kanu's release.

Clad in red attire, more than eight armed individuals vehemently chanted slogans such as "Release Nnamdi Kanu" and "No Nnamdi Kanu, No Peace!" while carrying out the act of firing upon pedestrians in the market.

Furthermore, they proceeded to ignite certain properties, including a tricycle parked by the roadside.

The market became a scene of chaos and unrest as a result of these events.

The market swiftly emptied as a consequence of the armed men's actions, as they systematically instilled fear by traversing from one store to another. Remarkably, there was an absence of Nigerian security forces present at the location.

In June 2021, Mr. Kanu was apprehended in Kenya and subsequently extradited to Nigeria. Since his arrest, he has been confronted with charges related to treason.

While an appellate court acquitted him in October 2022, Mr. Kanu remains in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) operatives