Two soldiers were killed by suspected Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) militants in Aba, Abia State, as the group enforced a sit-at-home order.
The proscribed group had earlier declared May 30 as a day of remembrance for those who died during the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970. IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, had directed all residents of the South East region to observe a one-day sit-at-home on that day.
However, the directive turned violent in Aba, as over 15 masked gunmen attacked a military patrol van at the Obikabia junction. The assailants, who were armed with an SUV jeep and a Sienna, opened fire on the soldiers, killing two of them - Sergeant Charles Ugochukwu and Corporal Ikpeama Ikechukwu, both from Abia State.
A video footage of the incident showed the gunmen shooting sporadically before setting the military van on fire. "This army man is the only surviving person here. He was the only person that ran away," a voice can be heard in the video.
The attack led to a shutdown of businesses across the five states of the South East, as filling stations, banks, restaurants, and major supermarkets closed down for fear of being targeted by the non-state actors.
Reacting to the incident, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, condemned the attack as "unwarranted, outrageous, unjust, cruel and absolutely condemnable."
Kalu urged the people of Aba, known for their enterprising spirit and technical skills, not to be "hoodwinked" into thinking that locking up their shops and closing their businesses was in their best interest. He also reminded them that Aba is the commercial nerve center of the South East and hosts people from all walks of life, and that their known hospitality should not be traded with violence, which is alien to the culture of the Igbo people.
Kalu commiserated with the families of the victims and assured the military hierarchy of legislative interventions to help unravel the masterminds of the attack and ensure that such an "unhealthy development" does not reoccur in the future.