Troops stationed at the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Barracks (14 Brigade Headquarters, Ohafia), attached to the 144 Battalion, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, successfully repelled an attack by gunmen targeting police and military checkpoints.
The gunmen launched an assault on police officers conducting a stop-and-search operation near the Aro Ngwa area along the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.
However, quick action from the soldiers at the 144 Battalion prevented the assailants from setting fire to the police patrol vehicle.
Upon receiving reports of the attack on the police personnel, soldiers stationed at the Aro Ngwa junction quickly alerted their colleagues at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Aba, prompting reinforcements to assist in repelling the gunmen.
Eyewitnesses, including several commuters who were caught in the crossfire, described the exchange of gunfire as intense, with many fleeing the scene and seeking shelter in nearby bushes to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
The gun battle was reportedly so fierce that it resembled a “near-war” situation.
Efforts to reach Abia State’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Maureen Chinaka, for comment were unsuccessful.
A military source at the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, confirmed that the gunmen were believed to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who were possibly searching for weapons.
The gunmen, traveling in a white Sienna SUV, were outgunned by the superior firepower of the military and eventually fled into the nearby bush.
The source also confirmed that one soldier was injured during the exchange and has been taken for medical treatment.
The gunmen reportedly escaped through the Owerrenta axis of the Owerri-Aba Expressway as the military pursued them.
