Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, condemned the attack, describing it as “unfortunate”.
The South East Governors’ Forum has condemned the killing of two soldiers at a checkpoint at Aba in Abia State on Thursday.
The attack, which occurred at Obikabia Junction in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, was blamed on pro-Biafra agitators allegedly enforcing the sit-at-home order given by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The sit-at-home order was given to remember on Thursday, May 30, Igbo people who died in the Nigerian Civil War.
SaharaReporters reported on Thursday that the hoodlums who drove SUVs exchanged gunshots with soldiers. They also burnt security patrol vehicles during the attack which reportedly occurred around 6 a.m.
Reacting to the attack, the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, condemned the attack, describing it as “unfortunate”.
He said it portrays the people of the region in a bad light as if they do not have sympathy for human beings
Uzodimma who addressed journalists in Owerri said, “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.
“Without any provocation, they were attacked by the men of the underworld.
“The unfortunate thing is that it is going to act as a major setback to the peace process being pursued by the governors from the zone with the Federal Government, security agencies and other critical stakeholders on how best to resolve the problem of security in the region,” he said.
The governor condoled the Chief of Army Staff and the families of soldiers who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident.
“We here in the South East will ensure that we leave no stone unturned to ensure the peace needed for development in the region,” he added.
Uzodimma urged security agencies to go all out to ensure that those behind the dastardly act are caught and prosecuted.
He noted that people of the South East, out of fear of the unknown and memories of the past, obeyed the directive of the proscribed group.
He urged them, particularly those in Imo, to find the courage and understand that a lot had gone into providing security for them.
“We have peace in Imo; I want people to go about their businesses without fear of being molested by anyone.
“We are after the perpetrators. Those who think we shouldn’t live should not live,” he said.
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