The leadership of the Labour Party on Sunday urged the Nigerian Army to target the killers of the five slain soldiers deployed to Abia State over the Biafran Day celebration and not innocent citizens following the military’s determination to avenge their loss.
The appeal was made in a statement issued in Abuja by the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh.
The military had confirmed an attack on its troops by the terrorists of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network in Abia State on Thursday, killing five personnel.
The suspected terrorists, who attacked the troops in a surprise assault, were said to come in three-tinted Toyota Prado SUVs and others, from built-up areas surrounding the checkpoint.
Denouncing the brutal killing of the soldiers, Ifoh appealed to the military to go after the perpetrators to avoid any collateral damage on the side of the Innocent and law-abiding citizens.
The opposition party further commended the state governor, Dr Alex Otti, for pledging to ensure that the culprits are brought to book and for also announcing a N25 million bounty on the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
He said, “While we commiserate with the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja and the entire military command on the unfortunate incident and pray for the repose of the soul of the gallant heroes, we are however worried by the threat by the military command to avenge the death of the soldiers. We urge the military to be professional in their approach to vengeance to avoid further loss of lives.
“Unknown gunmen or whatever names they chose to bear do not deserve to be spared. They have caused untold and unnecessary pain to the South East and deserve to be wiped out. But we urge that the military’s response to this latest act of provocation must be measured and targeted at these elements alone.
“Abia has remained the most peaceful state in the whole of South East obviously due to the untiring efforts of the state government to rid the state of all criminal elements in the last year, we, therefore, urge the military not to allow this unfortunate incident to recede the progress.
“The military’s threat to retaliate with a fierce response and to bring ‘overwhelming military pressure on the group to ensure their total defeat’ is of a fact, in order. However, it is a threat with the potential of engendering a humanitarian crisis if the retaliation turns out to be occupational, indiscriminate, and unrestricted. News emanating from Aba and its environment is scary as youths and young men are reported to have started deserting the area for the fear of their lives.”
The PUNCH
