Victor Ezeja
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, and the Cultural Credibility Development Initiative (CCDI) have called for a thorough investigation into the killing of five soldiers on duty at Obikabia junction, Aba, in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia state on Thursday, 30 May 2024.
In separate statements, they condemned the heinous crime and commiserated with the Nigerian army, Abia State government, family and friends of the deceased.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a post on his official X account, Obi said he is “appalled and saddened by the attack” on the soldiers, adding that “This dastardly act remains condemnable as it is a stark reminder of the escalating insecurity and violence that has continued to plague our nation under our collective watch.”
Obi called on the authorities to take decisive action against criminal activities leading to bloodshed in different parts of the country today.
“I condemn this atrocity in strong terms, and demand an immediate and thorough investigation into this crime in order to identify and punish the culprits. We must not stand idly by while our nation is torn apart by violence and fear,” Obi stated.
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The Credibility group in a statement signed by its president, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, and Secretary, Steve Nwabuko, said it is unfortunate that the horrendous assassination of the five soldiers happened on May 30th, a day that was supposed to be for sober reflections, prayer, praises and worship to God that helped Nigeria survive the civil war of 1967 to 1970 and came out stronger and united.
“The wanton killings of Nigeria’s military staff under the civilian dispensation dates back to Odi in Rivers state in 2001, Zakibiam in Benue state in 2003, Shiroro in Niger state in 2022, Okigwe in Abia state in 2023, Mbano in Imo state in 2023 and Obikabia in Aba, Abia state yesterday in 2024 and we the Nigerian people under the aegis of Cultural Credibility Development Initiative CCDI are saying enough is enough of this unwarranted assault on Nigeria’s defense forces for whatever reason,” the group said.
CDDI expressed concern that whenever military men are killed it usually attracts consequential repercussions in the form of reprisal attack by the armed forces on the areas it occurred and “mostly innocent people pay the huge price with their lives and properties destroyed beyond recognition.”
The group said those trying to make the Southeast a war zone for a second time after the unfortunate civil war conflagrations, will not succeed, and called on the government at all levels to deploy all effective and lawful measures to ensure that perpetrators of the heinous crime are brought to book and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“We are not quick to point accusing fingers on any person, group or association neither are we disingenuous about the day the event happened being an Igbo civil war memorial day to dismiss conspiracy theories around the wicked assassination attack nor do we intend to condone internal non-state actors machinations, but we pray that the authorities shall in their wisdom get to bottom of the security breaches bedeviling the entire South East zone in one decisive breath of well-coordinated security apprehensions,” CDDI said.
It, however, noted that “the level of efficiency, dexterity, speed and suave manoeuvering of the assassins reminds one of the infamous Unknown gunmen who ravaged Imo state with impunity. Till today nobody has been brought to book even as the unknown gunmen attacked the correction facilities in Kabbah, Ibadan, and others undetected, uncovered and unpunished.
“As an Elite Igbo sociocultural association, we condemn in unequivocally terms the irreconcilable assassination attack that resulted in the death of five serving Nigerian soldiers and humbly tender unreserved and deep heartfelt apology to the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the group further stated.
It prayed for a peaceful repose of the souls of the dead and that God grant their respective families the fortitude to bear the “irreplaceable and irreparable loss.”
Meanwhile, the Abia State Government has placed a N25 million bounty on killers of the five soldiers in the state.
The Commissioner for Information in Abia State, Okey Kanu, made this known in a statement on Friday.
The commissioner the heinous crimes is considered an affront on the state government’s resolve to rid Abia of criminals.
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.
