A Nigerian soldier has been killed in Aba town, Abia State, a day after the sentencing of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment for terrorism, Igbere TV has learnt.
According to SaharaReporters, the soldier, a Lance Corporal, identified as David was killed last Friday.
According to military sources, David was attacked at his father’s house at Ngwa Road, Aba around 2pm.
“He was on pass, so he decided to visit his relatives in Aba. However, He was killed, a day after the life sentence given to Nnamdi Kanu,” one of the top sources said.
“Other soldiers in the area should be at alert and always be in mufti when not in group.”
Another source added, “Yes, it’s true, he was of 20NA. One LCpl David who was on sick leave. Some unknown gunmen went to his father’s house at Ngwa Road, Aba, Abia State and murdered him.
“To our personnel, please if you are on pass, be vigilant. Do not sleep carelessly or move around unnecessarily. Stay alert at all times because you don’t know who may be coming after you. Especially those traveling to the East for pass, remain cautious and do not trust your village people completely as a soldier. Your safety must always come first. Stay sharp and stay alive.”
The Federal High Court in Abuja had last Thursday convicted Kanu on all seven counts preferred against him by the Nigerian government and subsequently sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The judgment, delivered by Justice James Omotosho, has triggered widespread condemnation across the South East region and beyond.
Insecurity has heightened in the South-East part of the country with frequent attacks by armed persons in recent times.
The gunmen have carried out a series of abductions, collected huge ransoms and in some occasions killed their victims.
Aside from government officials and facilities, the military and officials of other security agencies have been targets of attacks by the gunmen in the South-East.
The Nigerian government has accused pro-Biafra group, IPOB headed by Kanu of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region.
But the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that a former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, called for calm and responsible engagement on the conviction and life imprisonment of Kanu.
Chidoka made the appeal in a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, titled “On the Conviction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu: A Call for Calm, Responsibility, and a Path to Peace…1.”
“I waited to read and reflect on the judgment before making this statement. Moments like this demand calm thinking and careful consideration,” the former minister had said.
“The conviction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a moment of deep emotion for many in the Southeast and across the country.”
He urged youths, IPOB sympathisers and concerned citizens to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of escalating an already tense atmosphere.
According to him, “Violence will not advance our collective cause; it will only multiply our losses. I ask you to trust that pathways to resolution will be fully explored.”
