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By Cosmas Omegoh (Lagos), George Onyejiuwa, Stanley Uzoaru, (Owerri), Okey Sampson, (Umuahia), Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, (Aba)
Condemnations from prominent persons and groups of Igbo extraction have continued to trail last Thursday’s killing of five soldiers at Obikabia Junction in Aba, Abia State on May 30 in Abia, with as several of them described the incident as saddening, barbaric and unacceptable.
First to condemn the killings was the senator representing Abia North in the upper legislative chamber, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, followed by his Abia South counterpart, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
Both Senators in condemning the attack described it as uncalled for and charged security agents to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous act.
The immediate past Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, while condemning the killing, expressed deep sadness.
Ikpeazu in a statement said the “killing of the soldiers doesn’t represent who we are as a people; such barbarism against soldiers who were on lawful assignment to keep our people safe is difficult to understand.”
Ikpeazu while sending his condolences to the Chief of Army Staff and the families of the dead, urged security agencies to be thorough in their investigations into the incident and fish out the perpetrators of the crime.
Former Senator representing Abia Central at the Senate, Mrs. Nkechi Nwaogu, equally condemned the incident.
In a statement she said it was unfortunate such incident could happen when governments at the centre and the state were doing everything to maintain the peace in the state and South East as a whole.
She commiserated with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Taoreed A. Lagbaja, and the families of the slain soldiers over the unfortunate incident.
Okey Ahiwe, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abia governorship candidate in the 2023 election, in his reaction, expressed sympathy with the Nigerian Army, and the families of the slain soldiers.
Ahiwe, while condemning the attack, called on security agencies to do all to ensure the safety of their personnel and prayed God to comfort the families of the slain soldiers.
The General Manager of ASOPADEC, Dr Joshua Onyeike in his condemnation of the incident said it was inhumane to kill soldiers who were on duty to protect the lives of the people.
Eminent lawyer, Chief Mike Ahamba, has equally expressed sadness over the killing of the soldiers. He regretted that some Igbo youths are beginning to engage in acts not known to be associated with the tribe.
He however, called on the authorities, “to leave no stone unturned in fishing out those involved in the dastardly act, so as to bring them to book.
Igbo youths under the aegis of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) while condemning the act believes enemies of the state government hiding under the cover of Biafra struggle might have attacked the military officers at checkpoint.
President General of the group, Gooduck Ibem who described the attack as wicked and barbaric, urged the security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators.
“It is very unfortunate that the soldiers who are peacefully performing their constitutional duties of providing security in the area will be attacked by gunmen without any form of provocation whatsoever. This is completely unacceptable.
The Igbo National Council (INC) on its own part has condemned the sit-at-home directive of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) which it noted caused the death if the officers.
President of INC, Chilos Godsent, in his statement said: “The Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide has condemned in strong terms the unprovoked wanton attacks and killing of five Nigerian Soldiers at Obikabia military checkpoint at Ogbor Hill in Aba.”
A group, Cultural Credibility Development Initiative (CCDI) Platform, has also condemned the recent killings.
In a release CCDI Platform’s president, Ide Goddy Uwazurike, and secretary, Steve Nwabuko, said it was with great trepidation, sadness and total rejection that its members received the news of the dastardly killing of five Nigerian soldiers on active duty at Obikabia junction, Aba, in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State last Thursday, May 30, 2024.
It issued unreserved apology to the Armed Forces, families of the dead soldiers and the country on behalf of the Igbo nation for what went down.
It said: “We are very sorry and do apologise on behalf of Ndigbo and Alaigbo in general with a solemn heart.
“The unassailable truth is that we are tied of bloodletting in Nigeria in whatsoever guise or intentions and by whomsoever person or group.
“We humbly send our heartfelt commiserations to the bereaved families, the governor and people of Abia State, the Nigerian military high command and to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as we detest that ignoble act.”
Meanwhile, Aba has remained under military siege following the incident.
Reports said it was difficult leaving Aba on Friday to Port Harcourt, Umuahia or any other city, as roads leading into the commercial city were blocked by soldiers.
Those who managed to travel from Aba to Umuahia on Friday said they saw hell on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
Eke Ogbonna, a trader who left Aba at about 9 am to supply goods in Umuahia, said he arrived at 3 pm, a journey that couldn’t have taken more than one hour.
“We left Aba main Motor Park at about 9 am; on getting to Arongwa Junction on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, the army blocked the road and we had to travel through bush paths until we rejoined the expressway at point.
“On getting to Umuikaa Junction, the military personnel on duty asked all passengers to alight and trek with their two hands raised for a distance of about half a kilometer before rejoining our bus that passed the checkpoint empty.
“It was the same in all the other military checkpoints along the road.”
Although, the blocked Arongwa junction axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway has been reopened to traffic as of Saturday, commuters still found it difficult to travel through the expressway.
It was reported at the Ngwa Road Market, inside Aba, some soldiers ordered it closed on Friday. It remained under lock and key as traders were not allowed to reopen the market.
There were reported cases of indiscriminate arrests of residents of the city by soldiers.
Those arrested – men and women – were bundled into awaiting trucks and taken perhaps to a military camp.
There was a trending online report in of a lady named Onyeukwu Amarachi Perpetual, who made a passionate appeal to President Bola Tinubu, Nigerian Military, Chief of Arm Staff, Taodeen Lagbaja, Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, to come to the aid of their family following the arrest of her mother, Juliana Baby Onyeukwu and elder brother Chisom Onyeukwu in the early hours of Saturday.
