The Defence Headquarters said on Friday that it would retaliate over the killing of soldiers by gunmen in Aba, Abia State.
About 15 masked gunmen enforcing sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) attacked soldiers at about 8 a.m. at a military checkpoint in Obikabia Junction.
No fewer than five soldiers were killed while a patrol vehicle was burnt.
The sit-at-home order which disrupted business activities in the south-east region was to mark the annual Biafra Day.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, in a statement, said the Nigerian military needed to carry out reprisals against IPOB members for killing the soldiers.
“Accordingly, it is imperative that the military retaliate against this dastardly act against troops. The military would be fierce in its response. We would bring overwhelming military pressure on the group to ensure their total defeat,” Buba said.
The media director said the soldiers were among the troops of Udo Ka deployed at the junction in Obingwa Local Government Area, near Aba.
He said they were helping to ensure peace in the area and protect residents of the area before suspected IPOB members and their armed militant wing, Eastern Security Network, launched a surprise attack against the soldiers.
He added that some of the hoodlums stormed the area in three tinted Prado Toyota SUVs while other members of the group from the area teamed up with them to attack the soldiers.
“The attack sadly took the lives of five personnel of the armed forces (who were) killed in action. The armed forces mourn the death of these troops as every soldier lost in battle is a terrible loss,” he said.
“Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing concerning the attack.”
