Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has condemned the killing of soldiers in Abia State, south-east Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how masked gunmen, on Thursday morning, attacked and killed four soldiers in Obikabia Junction in Aba, the commercial hub of the Abia State.
The gunmen, who also burnt the soldiers’ patrol truck, were said to be enforcing the sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) across the South-east to mark the Biafra Day which is celebrated annually in the region.
IPOB is a group seeking to carve out a sovereign state of Biafra from the south-east and some parts of the south-south of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Army is yet to comment on the attack and killing of the soldiers.
‘It’s unfortunate’
Reacting hours later, Mr Uzodinma, who is also the chairperson of the South-east Governors’ Forum, described the attack and killing as “unfortunate.”
The governor spoke while briefing reporters in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Channels TV reported.
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“On behalf of my brother governors in the South-east Governors’ Forum, I condemn that incident and loss of the lives of soldiers who were on their duty posts,” he said.
He also asked security agencies to track down those who killed the soldiers in the state.
“Without any provocation, they were attacked by the men of the underworld. I want to condemn that and also to urge security agents to go all out and ensure that those behind that are caught and brought to book,” he stated.
‘Set back’
Mr Uzodinma said the attack and killing of the soldiers would act as a setback to efforts being made to solve rising attacks in the South-east.
“The unfortunate thing is that it is going to act as a major setback to the peace process which the governors from the South-east have been pursuing in talking to the federal government, security agencies, and other critical stakeholders on how best to resolve the problem of insecurity in the South-east,” he said.
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