- Says Killings Barbaric, Sit-at-Home Order Amounts to Treason…
By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed that his administration will identify and bring to justice the perpetrators behind the killing of five soldiers in Aba, Abia State. He also promised to eliminate the recurring attacks on the country’s Armed Forces personnel.
According to a statement made by the President on Saturday, June 1, 2024, the act of killing Soldiers is not only barbaric but also very condemnable. He said:”These unwarranted barbaric and evil acts are condemnable and should never be condoned or tolerated in our country.”
The sudden attack on the soldiers happened last Thursday, 30 May 2024, just two months after a similar one on soldiers in Okuama, Delta State.
While condemning the heinous act, Tinubu asserted that the government of and it’s Armed Forces have the capacity to “crush violent non-state actors” making the Nigerian communities unsafe.
The soldiers were reportedly killed by suspected militants of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Aba. Consequently, he condemned those advocating for stay-at-home orders, labeling their actions as treasonable..
The President urged security agencies not only to fish out “the masterminds and perpetrators of the Aba attack but also those calling on people to stay at home. Their actions are nothing short of treason.”
“The federal government will come down heavily against those who have made it a habit to needlessly attack the officers and men of our armed forces.” Tinubu emphatically said
The President emphasized the critical role the military plays in protecting citizens and the sacrifices they make, stating that the security forces’ restraint when attacked should not be mistaken for weakness.
“Our soldiers and the police have the onerous duty to protect all of us from aggressors and criminal non-state actors,” he said. “Hundreds of them have paid the ultimate price in fulfilment of their duty.” the president said
However, Tinubu reiterated that his administration is diligently working to build “a peaceful and harmonious society,” asserting that “no one should be under any illusion that the government will not act appropriately when the lives of our officers and men are wantonly taken.”
Urging the personnel of Nigerian Army not to be discouraged by the incessant attacks, he expressed his profound condolences to the families of the victims involved in the Aba attack.
