Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South Senatorial District, was subjected to a humiliating experience when soldiers forced him out of his bulletproof SUV at a checkpoint in Aba, Abia State, on Thursday.
Violence erupted on Thursday during the May 30 Biafra Day celebrations when unidentified gunmen, suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), attacked a military checkpoint at Obikabia junction.
In response to the incident, security forces deployed reinforcements and blocked roads in key areas of Aba North Local Government, extending into some villages in the Obingwa area.
While Abaribe was on his way to attend a funeral ceremony in Obingwa, he encountered a military barricade at Itu Ngwa village, and his vehicle was stopped.
His police security detail, Joe, attempted to explain to the soldiers, but they insisted that Abaribe must alight from his vehicle.
He eventually got down from the bulletproof car and was delayed for some time before being allowed to proceed.
According to some of those he spoke with at the funeral, the APGA Senator said that after the soldiers humiliated him and later allowed him to go, he called Governor Alex Otti, and explained what had happened, requesting the governor to issue a statement to calm the tense situation.
But Otti, according to a source, told Abaribe that he would not issue any statement so as not to aggravate the situation.
According to another source, while Abaribe was on his way home after the funeral, he was stopped again by another group of soldiers who also ordered him out of his bulletproof SUV.
He came down and again introduced himself as a senator, but they insisted that he could only leave when they allowed him to. They kept him for some time before releasing him.
Abaribe later detoured to Umuahia instead of his village, Ohuru in Obingwa LGA from where he returned to Abuja with the first flight on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has promised to respond fiercely to the slaying of the troops and apprehend the perpetrators.
A statement endorsed by Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, categorically noted that IPOB/ESN members were responsible for the killing.
“Troops of Operation Udo Ka deployed at Obikabia Junction Checkpoint in Obingwa Local Government Areas adjoining Aba metropolis in Abia State were attacked and sadly killed by terrorists of IPOB/ESN. The troops deployed to enforce peace in the area and protect the citizens were mass attacked by the terrorists. The terrorists in three tinted Prado Toyota SUVs and others from built-up areas surrounding the checkpoint launched a surprise attack on the checkpoint.
“The attack sadly took the lives of five personnel of the armed forces. The armed forces mourn the death of these troops as each and every soldier lost in battle is a terrible loss. Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing concerning the attack.
“Accordingly, it is absolutely imperative that the military retaliate against this dastardly act against troops. The military will be fierce in its response. We will bring overwhelming military pressure on the group to ensure their total defeat,” the statement said.
It’s worth noting that Abaribe had previously signed a bail bond for Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who failed to meet his bail conditions and was subsequently re-arrested and is currently in custody.
IPOB had recently called for a sit-at-home protest on May 30 to commemorate Biafra Day.
