Soldiers have surrounded the country home of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with about 10 armoured carrier vehicles and seven Hilux vans on Tuesday, according to Punch.

The presence of the soldiers has forced business owners to close their shops in fear of clash between soldiers and IPOB members.

On Sunday evening, a clash between soldiers and IPOB members left three persons injured at Afaraukwu community, the hometown of Kanu in Umuahia, capital of  Abia State.

Meanwhile, some of the soldiers attacked the Abia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Aba Road, Umuahia, destroying laptops and other valuables.

According to journalists at the secretariat, the soldiers claimed they saw someone take photographs of them from the building.

John Emejor , Chairman of council, expressed disappointment over the incidents, adding that a National officer of the Union Ezeogo Bonny Okoro was slapped by one of the soldiers.

“Our press centre was invaded by soldiers, two journalists lost their iPads and phones, while a national leader in the office was attacked,” he said.

“Our stand is that those involved in this attack on innocent Journalists should be fished out and punished in line with the constitution of the Country.”

However, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on the federal government to stop the military operation, code-named ‘Python Dance 11’ in the south-east region.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by John Nwodo, its President-General, the group described the operation as an invasion of the region and attempt to intimidate the people.

According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nigeria, at this moment, does not need such deliberate and proactive escalation of tensions and crisis.

The group warned the federal government not to use military force to resolve the issue of agitation for self-determination, adding that there are “civilised and established practices to resolve our democratic and security challenges”.

The Nigerian Army had on Friday announced its plan to launch ‘Operation Ogbu Eke II’ – ‘Python Dance II’ in the south-east between September 15 and October 14, to stop violent criminals, agitators and other forms of criminalities.

Also Tuesday, the South-East Governors’ Forum announced that a seven-member committee had been set-up to investigate the clash between the army and IPOB members.

Michael Udah, the forum’s Director of Media and Communications, said the committee was expected to submit its report during the forum’s meeting scheduled for September 15.

Udah did not disclose the leader of the committee but said that it was set up to proffer lasting solutions to such problems and forestall future occurrences.