PANIC AS GUNMEN KILL 2 SOLDIERS, 1 CIVILIAN IN ABA
Two soldiers attached to the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Abia State, have been killed by yet-to-be-identified gunmen who attacked their outpost at the Aba main motor park along Asa road.
It is gathered that the incident which occurred at about 8 pm also took the life of a man suspected to be a keke operator.
The attack on the Army outpost is coming months after a military outpost at Ngwa road by No.1 Port Harcourt road, Aba, was attacked, with no life lost.
It is further gathered that other soldiers at the outpost repelled the gunmen.
However, the gang was alleged to have made away with the weapons of the deceased soldiers.
One of the soldiers was said to have died on the spot, while his colleague was declared dead at the hospital where he was rushed for medical attention.
Some shop owners at the Asa Road/ Park Road/ Milverton Avenue junction disclosed that they were greeted with rapid gunfire as the gunmen took the soldiers by surprise.
The situation caused panic at the adjoining Milverton Avenue which is the hub of luxury bus transport business in Aba as motorists and passengers scampered to safety.
Business owners around the General post office opposite the military outpost also abandoned their wares as soldiers took over the area.
A luxury bus transport operator said they could not load passengers going to Lagos and other parts of the country as they were not allowed to return to their loading bay.
As at the time of filing this report, movement of vehicles have been restricted between the main motor park and Bata Junction which hosts another military outpost, forcing motorists to abandon the Bata to Park axis of Aba-Owerri road, for alternative routes to other parts of the city. Only women are allowed to walk through the military barricades with their hands raised.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Army Public Relations Officer ,PRO,14 Brigade, Ohafia, Lt. Omale Innocent, was unsuccessful as he was yet to respond to messages sent to his mobile number.
An official of the Abia State government who declined to have his name because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, assured that the state government was doing all it could to restore calm in the area.