Soldiers of 14 Brigade, Army Headquarters, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Barracks, who invaded Ohafia in the Ohafia Local Government of Abia State in search of Unknown Gunmen, have burnt down several houses in the area.
A source said on Sunday, June 13, 2021, said a lot of residents and indigenes of Elu, Amangwu, Ebem, and Ohafia fled their communities to neighbouring villages due to the constant invasion.
Seven soldiers have now lost their lives in the attack, the source said.
According to him, some unknown gunmen were passing through the Amangwu village when soldiers from the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Barracks launched an attack.
He stated that in the counter-attack, two soldiers got injured while the unknown gunmen fled.
Infuriated, a mass of soldiers from the barracks invaded the town, shooting at people, and burning down houses.
Provoked, residents and indigenes who could no longer bear the constant attacks, shot back and this has led to the death of seven soldiers.
The source said, “Some unknown gunmen, we don’t know who they are or where they are coming from, they were passing through Amangwu and they were confronted by soldiers from the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Barracks. Two of the soldiers later got injured and were rushed to the hospital.
“But the soldiers went to regroup and came back en masse. They started harassing people in the community, most especially young men. They arrested a lot of young men, they took them to the barracks.
“They also come from time to time to shoot at people, I mean direct shooting so the people had to retaliate. At first, three soldiers died, then four of them died yesterday, making seven. The other two that were attacked by the gunmen were not even killed, they got injured.
“We don’t know why the soldiers keep invading Amangwu, the gunmen are not from here, they just passed through this place. Soldiers should leave Amangwu and its people alone.”
Another eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity said “Soldiers are collecting it very hot. This report is being downplayed by the media. Right now, not less than 17 soldiers have been gunned down by unknown gunmen, who got winds of the siege in Ohafia by soldiers.”
“The soldiers came in their numbers to arrest innocent youths but youths blocked all the exit routes with heavy logs of tree at several places, preventing the military men from leaving, then, Unknown gunmen speedily arrived at the scene and engaged soldiers in hot gun duel killing about 10 soldiers at the time.
When re-enforcement team of soldiers from Ohafia military barracks enter the scene unknown gunmen have already separated into two, the other group engaged the re-enforcement team neutralizing about 8 soldiers making it 18. Then soldiers retreated.
He also stated that a lot of houses in the Amangwu Ohafia community had been burnt.
The soldiers had claimed that the unknown Gunmen are members of the ESN and were using the houses as their hideout, an allegation the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has Repeatedly and vehemently denied.
