Nigerian youths settle homeland differences on Bengaluru streets

BENGALURU: The secessionist struggle in Nigeria is spilling blood on Bengaluru's roads, with students from the African country taking sides over the issue and clashing repeatedly. City police are now looking at getting the students concerned deported, a source said.
In the latest in this series of attacks and counter-attacks over the Biafra secession issue in Nigeria, a dozen students created a ruckus in Hennur in the early hours of Sunday, allegedly attacking the residence of Elvis Ohachosim, 39, a fellow national, and set ablaze his car.
The pre-dawn attack was in retaliation to Elvis attacking two Nigerian friends the previous evening. Police said Sunday's arson is the latest skirmish between two groups of Nigerians since September 3, when N Chigozie, a resident of Hennur, and a Nigerian national himself, allegedly died in suspicious circumstances, after clashes between the gangs at an African restaurant in Kothanur.
"We have filed four cases against these two groups in just 20 days," a police officer said.
According to Elvis' complaint, a gang of 12 people knocked on the door of his Vaddarapalya residence around 3am. Elvis said he did not open the door and the gangsters set afire his car parked by the roadside, and threatened him with dire consequences before leaving.
Hennur police filed a case against 12 Nigerians in the FIR. Police said the car was gutted partially, as the fire was put out with help from some locals.
The mystery death
Chigozie was found dead near Geddalahalli railway track on September 3. Kothanur police initially treated it as a road accident, but later filed a case of murder. They are now awaiting the FSL report before proceeding with investigations.
Chigozie's brother Nonso Odedike, meanwhile, filed a complaint accusing a group of Nigerians led by Aiwa of attacking him and his brother at African Kitchen in Kothanur, on the night of September 2. Police held six Africans and recently, all of them were released on bail.
Chigozie is suspected to have died when fleeing African Kitchen. He and his brother were said to be discussing the Biafra issue when they were attacked.
Two groups - one supporting Chigozie's brother Nonso and the other supporting the six accused - have been clashing repeatedly after September 3, police said. Elvis is believed to have led a gang of Nonso's supporters and attacked Christoper Okwi Onuigbo and his friend Ani Charles, who was arrested for the September 2 attack on Nonso, near Byrathi, on Saturday night.
Kothanur police filed a case against six people, including Elvis. Elvis' rivals struck at his house in a retaliatory raid hours later, and torched his car. A probe is under way in all four cases.
"There are two gangs of Nigerians who are clashing over political reasons. We will submit a report about them to the FRRO," S Girish, DCP (Northeast division) said.
Police said the accused in all four cases are Nigerian nationals and have come to India either on business or student visas.
Nonso's supporters have been identified as Elvis Ohachosim, Emmanuel, Grant, Pastor Jeremiah, among others.
His rivals are Aiwa Chuks, Obinna Charles, Okwuchukwu Christopher, Chinedu, Zola Henry, Blessing Ikoko, Morris, Black C, Vin, Sunny Ejinkeonye, Gana Nwagbo, Bona Nwaizu and others.