Abia Community Deserted Following Attack on Military Checkpoint

The Ekenobizi community in Umuopara, Umuahia South Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State has become a ghost town after unknown gunmen attacked a Nigerian Army checkpoint on Wednesday, leaving several soldiers dead.

Amid fears of a potential military reprisal, most of the youth in the community fled and have not yet returned. The attack has also severely disrupted local economic activities, including trading and farming.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti condemned the attack, labeling it as heinous and vowing to work closely with security agencies to apprehend those responsible.

Prominent figures in the state have also spoken out against the violence. Lucky Igbokwe, a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the killings as barbaric and called on the military to pursue the perpetrators using intelligence-driven methods without harming innocent civilians in the community.

Similarly, Enyinnaya Duke-Ako Atuloma, President of the Enyioma Foundation, denounced the attack as senseless and urged the military to act with professionalism. He emphasized that any response should avoid endangering innocent lives in Ekenobizi.