Unknown gunmen raid military checkpoint, Abia community flees in fear

Youths in the Ekenobizi community in Umopara, Umuahia South LGA, Abia State, have fled after unidentified gunmen attacked a Nigerian Army checkpoint on Wednesday. It was discovered that the population fears a military retaliation attack. Governor Alex Otti has denounced the attack, which killed a few soldiers, and pledged that his government will work with security forces to apprehend those involved. However, many of the community’s young people who have been away since Wednesday have not yet returned because they fear becoming victims in the event that the military retaliates. Additionally, economic activity such as farming and trading is at its lowest point. Speaking on the subject, Lucky Igbokwe, a former PDP candidate for governor of Abia State, denounced the death of the Nigerian soldiers as savage, horrible, and evil. He called on the military leadership to pursue the attackers while avoiding retaliation on the defenseless Ekenobizi members.

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Igbokwe believes that rather than invading the area, a highly skilled intelligence collection and internationally recognized standards should be employed to find the assailants. Enyinnaya Duke-Ako Atuloma, the president of the Enyioma Foundation, also joined in denouncing the soldiers’ deaths, calling them stupid and heinous. He implored that the community shouldn’t be invaded in retaliation, but urged the military authorities to be professional in their search for the true perpetrators.