Zara Nwachinaemere, Abakaliki
Barely two weeks after three policemen were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Ebonyi state, two soldiers and two civilians have been also killed by unknown gunmen.
The incident happened Monday night at a military checkpoint located at Timber Junction area in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi state.
According a top security source, the incident took place at around 9pm and the attackers carted away riffles belonging to the deceased.
Also, a source in the community, who didn’t want his name on print, revealed that the gunmen arrived the checkpoint in a white bus and as the military men stopped them for a search, they opened fire on them.
According to him, the situation threw the two busy towns of Amasiri and Afikpo into panic, as residents, especially petty traders hurriedly packed their goods and went home.
“It’s a very sad situation here. They said it was people suspected to be gunmen, who came to the checkpoint at Timber Shade (boundary Ehugbo and Amasiri) in white bus.
“As usual, it appeared the military were checking them and all of a sudden, they opened fire on them. Two of the military men, a man and woman, died. Others ran away.
“The area is as quiet as the graveyard. These bordering villages used to be very busy and people here are farmers and traders.
“But the moment that happened, people started going home. Nobody is seen outside as I speak to you. Every place is calm. There is fear here now” he stated.
The Military was yet to react at the time of filling this report.
Commissioner for Police, Mr Garba Aliyu, could not pick calls and was yet to respond to a text message sent to him to react on the incident.
