The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the apex socio-cultural youth organization of Ndigbo, has called on the Abia State Governor to stop the intimidation, maltreatment, and illegal arrest of innocent Nigerian citizens in Aba, Abia State by the Nigerian military due to the killing of four Nigerian soldiers by unidentified gunmen.
On Thursday, unknown gunmen attacked a military checkpoint, killing five soldiers and burning two patrol vans and the checkpoint.
The gunmen allegedly seized their rifles and escaped. In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, the state government condemned the attack and commiserated with the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, and the military high command in the country for the unfortunate incident. They prayed for the peaceful repose of the souls of the gallant soldiers who died while in active duty.
On Friday, the Abia State government placed a N25 million bounty on the killers of the five soldiers at Obikabia junction, Ogbor Hill, Aba.
This was contained in a statement jointly issued by the council’s national president, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, and Secretary-General Comrade Ifeanyi Nweke. The Ohanaeze Youth Council firmly condemns such acts in their entirety.
The statement said the council cannot subscribe to any criminal elements in any disguise ravaging and terrorizing Alaigbo.
The statement reads in part: “We appeal to you to use your executive order to stop the ongoing illegal arrest, maltreatment, and intimidation of innocent civilians in Aba, Abia State by the Nigerian military.
“We demand that those arrested on Friday, 31st May 2024 in Aba and Obingwa LGA be released through your executive order.
“We urge you to ensure that those involved in the killing of Nigerian military personnel are arrested immediately and made to face the law.
“Your Excellency, we want to remind you that it has been a tradition of the Nigerian military to unleash their anger on innocent civilians each time they are attacked by criminal elements in any part of Alaigbo.
“This unprofessional attitude by the Nigerian military of killing or arresting and detaining innocent civilians shouldn’t be allowed to happen in your administration.
“We know that as a good democrat, you will take action to ensure that all innocent civilians arrested by the military in Aba, Abia State are released immediately and also stop further illegal arrests of innocent civilians to avoid unhealthy mass provocation in Aba, Abia State that might lead to civil unrest.”
