Aba Killings: Abia State Government Places N25m Bounty On Perpetrators

The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has placed a N25 million bounty on the perpetrators who killed soldiers in Aba during a sit-at-home observation, marking the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Day.

The attack was reportedly carried out by the government-proscribed terrorist group IPOB/ESN. Preliminary investigation by the Nigerian Army revealed a loss of five personnel to the attack on Thursday.

However, in a statement released by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to the governor, Dodoh Okafor, stated that the state government regretted the incident.

The Abia State Govt. wishes to commiserate with the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed A. Lagbaja, and the Military High Command in the country for the unfortunate incident and pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of the gallant soldiers who died in active duty, the statement reads, in part.

According to Okafor, the incident occurred on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at around 7:45 am at Obikabia Junction in the Ogbor Hill area, Obingwa LGA, near Aba, where suspected criminal elements operating with several SUVs opened fire on men of the Nigerian Army on security duty leading to the killing of five soldiers.

He further noted that Abia State, as a government committed to security, safety, and peace within its territory at all times, considers the attack a “serious affront to its resolve by criminal elements who are hell-bent on returning Abia to the dark days of insecurity and fear amongst citizens, especially in Aba, the economic heartbeat of the State.

Meanwhile, to show the State’s commitment to tackling insecurity, governor Otti announced an N25 million (Twenty-five Million Naira) reward to anyone with valuable information that could lead to the location and arrest of any criminals connected to the unfortunate killings.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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