President Bola Tinubu has condemned the killing of five soldiers by suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPoB), vowing stern action against the perpetrators and those calling for a sit-at-home order.
In a statement on Saturday, the President described the attack in Aba, Abia State, as an “unwarranted barbaric and evil act” that should never be tolerated in the country.
In a statement by him on Saturday, President Bola Tinubu said: “These unwarranted barbaric and evil acts stand condemned and should never be condoned and tolerated in our country.
“Our soldiers and the police have the onerous duty to protect all of us from aggressors and non-state actors. Hundreds of them have paid the ultimate price in fulfillment of their duty, while some have experienced the indignity of being manhandled by the people they protect.
He vowed that the federal government would come down heavily on those who have made it a habit to attack officers and men of the armed forces. “On no account should anyone, under any guise, have the audacity to kill agents of the state”, he asserted.
The President also issued a stern warning to those calling for a sit-at-home order, labelling their actions as “nothing but a treasonable offence.
“I urge security agencies not only to fish out the masterminds and perpetrators of the Aba attack but also those calling on people to stay at home. Their action is nothing but a treasonable offence”.
He further declared, “I want to make it clear that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the armed forces have the capacity to crush violent non-state actors, making our communities unsafe”.
President Tinubu also urged restraint from security forces, stating: “The fact that the security forces are exercising necessary restraints should not be mistaken for weakness. We are working to build a peaceful and harmonious society, but nobody should be under any illusion that the government will not act appropriately when the lives of our officers and men are wantonly taken”.
Extending condolences to the families of the slain soldiers and the armed forces, the president urged other peacekeeping personnel not to be discouraged by the Aba incident.
On Thursday, gunmen in an attack left five soldiers dead at a checkpoint at Aba in Abia State.
The attack, which occurred at Obikabia junction in Aba, was reportedly carried out by suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra in a bid to enforce sit-at-home.
They also burnt down security patrol vehicles while enforcing the sit-at-home directive meant to commemorate Biafra Day.
