Tragedy struck in Aba, Abia State, as unknown gunmen ambushed and killed two Nigerian soldiers at Obikabia junction in Ogbor Hill on Thursday.
The attack occurred on ‘Biafra Heroes Day’, declared by the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) across the South-East on May 30.
Video footages posted on social media platform X by multiple sources show the aftermath of the deadly ambush, including a military vehicle set ablaze and gunshots heard through empty streets. The viral video reveals the tense atmosphere as residents adhered to the illegal sit-at-home order in Abia State.
According to Politics Nigeria, “the soldiers were ambushed, resulting in a deadly attack on a day the South East is mourning the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the Biafra War of 1967-1970.” The identities of the assailants remained unknown, and the Nigerian Army has yet to release an official statement as details continue to emerge.
Earlier, IPOB had declared a sit-at-home on May 30 across the five South-East states, warning against any business activities or movements to honour Igbo people killed during the Nigerian Civil War. In response, the Enugu State government rejected the sit-at-home order, stating it had put security agencies on high alert to maintain law and order.
IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, advised the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to reschedule exams slated for May 30 and similarly urged Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Anambra State to shift its convocation date.
Our correspondent in Anambra State observed a heavy security presence in major markets and schools on Wednesday, as residents made last-minute purchases in preparation for the sit-at-home.
Meanwhile, Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the proscribed IPOB, posted the same video on his X page, stating, “The Resistance fighters are in high spirit. Decimating the terrorist’s state.”