Victor Ezeja
Former Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has joined his voice in calling for a political solution to the case between leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and the Federal Government for peace to return to Southeast.
Atiku made the call while reacting to the killing of five soldiers in Abia State on Thursday.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe five soldiers were killed during an attack on troops by gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who were enforcing sit-at-home in the state.
The attack reportedly took place at Obikabia Junction Checkpoint in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State where troops of Operation Udoka were deployed to protect the citizens and enforce peace.
According to a statement by Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, six civilians were also killed in the crossfire that ensued between the gunmen and the troops.
IPOB had declared sit-at-home on Thursday, 30 May, to honour those that died during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War of 1967 to 1970.
The PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, condemned the killing and empathized with families and friends of those who lost their lives.
He expressed concerns about the impact of the Thursday’s sit-at-home in the Southeast region of the country on students writing WAEC examinations.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle, Atiku said: “The veil of the so-called unknown gunmen hiding under cover to unleash death and mayhem must be lifted to ensure that criminal elements are separated from legitimate agitators.”
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He said that without prejudice to the ongoing legal processes aimed at prosecuting Nnamdi Kanu, it has become imperative that a political solution should be sought to end the squabble, expressing optimism that such approach would help resolve all issues associated with the crisis in the Southeast.
“To this end, without prejudice to the ongoing legal processes, I think the time has come to explore a political resolution to the Nnamdi Kanu and other associated issues. I believe that this will defuse the compressor cooker situation in the region. It will be a win-win for all parties,” Atiku stated via his verified X handle on Friday.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
