The commercial city of Aba in Abia State has been gripped by tension and panic after soldiers laid siege in response to a deadly attack that left five troops dead. Markets, schools and businesses have shuttered as the military shows an overwhelming force presence on the streets.
According to reports, the tragedy unfolded when gunmen suspected to be enforcers of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) sit-at-home order attacked a military checkpoint at Obikabia Junction in the Ogbor Hill area. Five soldiers were killed, their checkpoint set ablaze, and two patrol vans destroyed in the brazen assault.
The horrific incident has sparked a fierce military crackdown across Aba’s neighborhoods. Residents describe a climate of fear as numerous soldier patrols, some moving at top speeds, scour the areas. Two military helicopters have been spotted menacingly hovering over Ogbor Hill, ratcheting up the atmosphere of intimidation.
Eyewitnesses report that soldiers stormed and forcibly shut down major markets like Cemetery, Ngwa Road and Nsulu, ordering terrified traders to flee. Most schools didn’t open at all on Wednesday, with parents too scared to allow their children out amid the tense situation. Those schools that did open sent pupils home midday as the turmoil escalated.
With the military operation showing no signs of letting up, many residents of affected neighborhoods like Umuola, Ukaegbu, Ehere, Ohanku and others have opted to remain indoors to avoid potential crossfire or harassment. The Aba-Umuahia section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway has also been barricaded by fierce-looking troops.
The Army’s shockingly forceful response seems intent on reasserting authority through overwhelming presence and sowing fear in the civilian population. However, the indiscriminate shutdowns, roadblocks and lockdown atmosphere have raised concerns about human rights violations and disproportionate collective punishment of innocents.
While the deadly attack on soldiers can never be condoned, many see the current military crackdown as a recurring pattern of scorched-earth reprisals that only inflame tensions further and alienate local communities. There are fears the siege could provide a recruiting rallying cry for pro-Biafra separatist agitators.
As the situation remains fluid, calls are mounting for all sides to embrace restraint and deescalate before the crisis spirals completely out of control. Diplomatic overtures to separate the innocent from militants could provide an off-ramp from the escalating cycle of violence between the military and pro-Biafra elements in the region.
What is clear is that a return to relative normalcy in Aba hinges on the Army’s exit and standing down from its aggressive lockdown posture. With businesses shuttered and transport halted, the economic toll of the siege risks becoming as heavy as the human costs if the tensions persist. All stakeholders must work to prevent this crisis from metastasizing into greater destabilization that could ripple across the southeast.
Reference
Breaking: Tension as soldiers lay siege to Aba, markets shut published in Vanguard By Ugochukwu Alaribe