Four Reportedly Dead As Soldiers And Gunmen Clash In Abia Community

A soldier serving at the 14 Brigade Headquarters, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Barracks, Ohafia in Ebem Ohafia local government area of Abia State has been killed following a gun battle with gunmen.

According to The Nation, soldiers who were responding to a distress call from one of their colleagues who escaped from being killed in the community, killed two of the gunmen.

The incident which occurred on Wednesday, August 17, caused panic in the area, forcing some owners to close shops for fear of possible invasion of the community.

A shop owner identified as Miss Chinenye Ajunwa from Amuta in Isuikwuato local government area resident in Ohafia was hit by stray bullet during the gun duel.

The lady, who was with her father during the gun duel, died before help could come her way.

It was gathered that the deceased soldier was in the community for an errand before he was killed by gunmen who trailed him to the area.

A source from the Brigade confirmed the incident to Nation, said the rescued soldier had gone to Ebem market in a commercial motorcycle to buy groceries when he noticed that he was being trailed by some armed group of boys.

“He heard when the gunmen were asking about a soldier that Okada just brought and quickly hide somewhere and from his hideout, he sent an SOS message to the Brigade. Soldiers were mobilized for his rescue and the gunmen who are members Eastern Security Network (ESN) engaged the soldiers,” the source explained.

“Two of them were killed. A pump action gun, cutlasses and two motorbikes belonging to the gunmen were recovered from them. It was while the soldiers were on patrol in the community, after rescuing the other soldier, that they discovered that the gunmen had killed a soldier in the same community.”