Six-Year-Old Girl Dies Amid Military Raid at New Yam Festival in Arondizuogu
By Muinome Ifenna
Arondizuogu, Imo State – A tragic turn of events unfolded on June 1st, 2024, in Arondizuogu, Okigwe Local Government Area, when a military raid targeting an IPOB member resulted in the death of six-year-old Chioma Okoro.
Security operatives, believed to be members of the Nigerian military, stormed the home of Victor Okoro, a known IPOB activist, in an attempt to arrest him. Mr. Okoro has been a vocal advocate for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and has led several peaceful protests in Imo State demanding his freedom.
At the time of the raid, Mr. Okoro was at the community square, attending the annual New Yam Festival, unaware of the events unfolding at his residence. As security operatives attempted to force their way into the compound, local youths, who share IPOB’s pro-freedom ideology, resisted the invasion, leading to a violent confrontation. In response, security forces reportedly fired tear gas and live ammunition, trying to disperse the crowd.
Amid the chaos, young Chioma Okoro, who was inside her family’s home, inhaled the tear gas, causing severe breathing difficulties. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but was tragically pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The Arondizuogu community has since been thrown into turmoil, with angry residents condemning the excessive use of force by security agencies. Community leader Chief Mike Okeke has called on the government to end these violent crackdowns, insisting that peaceful agitation should not be met with lethal force.
As tensions escalate, calls for justice grow louder, with many demanding accountability for the tragic death of Chioma Okoro-yet another innocent victim caught in the ongoing conflict between pro-Biafra activists and Nigerian security forces.
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