Soldiers Repel Unknown Gunmen Attack on Police, Military Checkpoints in Abia

Troops from the 14 Brigade Headquarters in Ohafia, attached to the 144 Battalion, successfully repelled an attack by unknown gunmen targeting police and military checkpoints in Abia State.

The attack occurred near the Aro Ngwa axis of the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, where the gunmen ambushed police officers conducting a stop-and-search operation. According to reports from The Nation, the soldiers swiftly responded, preventing the attackers from setting fire to a police patrol van.

Upon receiving news of the attack, soldiers stationed at the Aro Ngwa junction alerted their colleagues at the Forward Operation Base (FOB) in Aba, requesting reinforcements. The ensuing gun battle was described by witnesses as intense, with many commuters fleeing into nearby bushes for safety to avoid stray bullets.

Sources from the 14 Brigade confirmed that the attackers were believed to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), operating in a white Sienna SUV. The military’s superior firepower forced the gunmen to retreat into the bush. One soldier sustained injuries during the exchange and is currently receiving medical treatment.

It is also reported that the gunmen fled through the Owerrenta axis of the Owerri-Aba Expressway as the confrontation ended. Efforts to reach Abia’s Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, for further comment were unsuccessful.