The Defence Headquarters has pledged to retaliate fiercely against the killing of five soldiers in Abia State on Thursday.
The soldiers were killed by gunmen enforcing a sit-at-home order given by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to remember the Igbo people who died during the 1967-70 Nigerian Civil War.
According to the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, the military will bring “overwhelming military pressure” on the group to ensure their total defeat. He described the attack as a “dastardly act” and vowed that the military’s response would be fierce.
The soldiers deployed to enforce peace and protect citizens at Obikabia Junction in the Obingwa Local Government Area were attacked and killed.
The attackers, reportedly members of IPOB and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), used three tinted Prado Toyota SUVs and surrounding buildings to launch the surprise attack.
Major General Buba regretted the loss of the soldiers, stating that each soldier lost in battle is a “terrible loss” for the armed forces. He also announced that an investigation has been launched into the incident.
The military has accused IPOB and ESN of perpetrating the attack, which they claim was made possible by the support of local residents.
The military has urged the public to support their efforts to defeat the group, stating that winning the war without public support is “close to impossible”.
