David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
Unidentified gunmen have killed an unspecified number of soldiers on AA routine patrol in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Sources said five soldiers were gunned down, including one civilian, while several persons sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attack.
A source said the incident happened at around noon, in the suburban town located around the boundary of the state with Abia State.
According to the source, “I was told the Military men were moving in their Sienna vehicle when the assailants struck along that Umunze -Umunneochi road around 1pm.
“Nobody saw any sign of the presence of those criminals, what we heard was just gun shots like a war zone.
“Some of us who were close to the bank where the attack happened ran for our dear lives. The criminals took the soldiers unawares, the reason they got all of them,” the source said.
Already, there are fears in the community as it is believed that the soldiers may come for a reprisal attack on innocent members of the community.
When THISDAY contacted the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, he confirmed the incident, saying that it happened at about 1pm yesterday.
He, however, said the details of the attack were still sketchy, as he did not say the number of casualties.
“The details had not been received, but we know there was an incident at Umunze, which happened between 12-1.30pm today. You may enquire from the Army Public Relations Officer,” he said.
Reacting , Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who confirmed the killing of soldiers in Umunze, condemned the act.
Soludo in a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, said the soldiers were ambushed on a routine patrol at Umunze by yet to be identified gunmen.
Soludo said: “We condemn this wicked and cruel attack in the strongest terms. The perpetrators of this act must pay. We are not going to rest on our oars, including those people that attacked Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and the rest. There will be absolutely no hiding place for them.
“Going forward, our actions will show, as these people must surely pay for this heinous and repulsive attack.”
The Governor urged Anambra people to remain calm and law-abiding as the security agencies are on top of the situation.
