Eleven people were killed when Nigerian security forces cracked down on a demonstration supporting the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), said Friday, though police denied there were any deaths.
The demonstration was organised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by the group, whose members want Trump to support the creation of an independent Biafran state for the Igbo people.
Thousands of youths carrying US and Biafran flags along with images of Trump and detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, disrupted activities in the city for hours.
Ugochukwu Chinweuba, a member of the group, said police and soldiers used live rounds and that “scores” were wounded in addition to the dead.
Nnamdi Omoni, a spokesman for Rivers police, said the claim was false and that police only used tear gas.
“To the best of my knowledge, there was no casualty as the police merely employed minimal action, which involved the use of tear gas to disperse protesters,” he said.
