Following the killing of soldiers, who were on a routine patrol at Umunze in Orumba South Local Council of Anambra State, a group, the Igbo People of Nigeria (IPN), has condemned the incident, describing it as “a national tragedy, barbaric and unacceptable.”
Some unidentified assailants, on Wednesday, attacked a security patrol, near the Nkwo Market at Umunze in Orumba South Local Council of Anambra State.
It was gathered that the security officers were on patrol when they were attacked by the gunmen.
During the attack, a yet-to-be-disclosed number of soldiers and civilians were killed.
National secretary of the IPN, Anayo Mbakwe, in a statement, on Friday, said the latest turn of events, particularly in Anambra is a serious cause for concern.
According to him, the people of the Southeast were known to be loving, welcoming and hospitable.
He recalled the recent assassination attempt on the Senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah at Nkwo Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Council, saying that “these two unfortunate incidents have striking similarities and are distasteful to humanity in general and in Igbo land in particular.”
He said the killing of any sort, whether political, agitation or accidental was an act of terrorism and must not be condoned.
He, therefore, called on security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and make them pay for their crimes.
Mbakwe also urged the security agents to tame the alarming rise in assassinations in Anambra, especially with the forthcoming 2023 elections.
While commending the Nigerian Army under Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya for some notable strides in the region and across the nation, he said the Chief of Army Staff should pay more attention to Anambra.
He said troops must not relent on recent successes, noting that these pockets of criminal elements are already capitalising to wreak havoc.
Mbakwe, therefore, charged the Army not to relent in its responsibility of restoring law and order with other seecurity agencies as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Commander-in-Chief.
He admitted, though, that the Igbo are proud of the efforts of the Nigerian Army in the zone, and the military must not fold their hands and watch this ugly trend escalate.
He added that criminals in communities, whether indigenes or foreigners, should be reported to relevant authorities, adding that “anyone who sympathises with criminals will soon sympathise”.