UNKNOWN gunmen, on Saturday, shot and killed three soldiers in the Obonoma community in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The gunmen, who were said to be in military uniform, invaded the Samson Jack military checkpoint in the community around 8pm and opened fire on the soldiers.

Apart from the three soldiers killed by the hoodlums, several others were said to have been injured.

A source told our correspondent on Sunday that the gunmen came on two motorcycles and operated for a little over a minute before fleeing the scene.

The source explained, “The incident happened yesterday (Saturday) night and I gathered that some people in the area were living in fear because of the possibility of reprisal. The criminals, I gathered, were in military uniform.

“They came on two motorcycles and when they got close to the military checkpoint, known as the Samson Jack military checkpoint, they opened fire on the soldiers there. It was something that was unexpected.”

Condemning the attack on the soldiers, the Amananyabo of Abonnema, King Disrael Bob-Manuel, said such an action could not have been carried out by his people, whom he described as peace-loving and not capable of attacking soldiers.

The Chairman, Obonoma Council of Chiefs, High Chief Phillip Agu, expressed shock at the incident and added that his people were now living in fear.

Agu urged the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army to caution its men, as some soldiers were said to have unleashed mayhem on the community.

Efforts made by our correspondent to get the reaction of the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, were not successful as calls to his mobile telephone did not connect, while a text message sent to him was not replied.

It was later gathered that the 6 Division would soon issue a statement on the killings. – Punch

– Mar. 4, 2019 @ 7:55 GMT |