16 wounded as armed youths take over parks inOnitsha •Houses, cars burnt

There was palpable tension in the commercial city of
Onitsha, on Thursday, when armed youths invaded
motor parks, leaving no fewer than 16 persons with
severe injuries, while a car and operational office of
the Anambra State task force also known as
Mpiawazu were burnt.
The youth, numbering over 500, suspected to be
members of the Movement for the Actualisation of
the Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB) were alleged
to have been engaged by an official of the state
government, who was bent on controlling the motor
parks.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that trouble started when
officials of the state task force on street trading,
popularly known as Ndi Mpiawazu, went to resume
duties at their office on Owerri road by Upper Iweka
and the group of boys challenged them.
According to an eyewitness account, the youth, who
had been earlier warned by MASSOB to stop
operating in the commercial city on the grounds that
they had been disbanded, returned back to resume
duties when a group of boys swooped on them.
The source further revealed that the boys resisted
the order by MASSOB to vacate the area which led to
the clash between the two groups and the office of
the Mpiawazu and a car belonging to them were
burnt down by the rampaging youths.
Though, no life was lost, the leadership of MASSOB
swiftly said the attack was not carried out by their
members, adding that they had never been
interested in any park within the commercial city of
Onitsha.