From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
There was pandemonium on Wednesday at Ebem Ohafia, in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State when soldiers from the nearby 14 Brigade Headquarters, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Barracks, Ohafia, engaged unknown gunmen in gun duel. The incident led to the death of a soldier, two of the unknown gunmen and a young lady.
The attack, according to a source, has nothing to do with the Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who was on official tour of Ohafia on the day of the incident.
Reports have it that the unknown had trailed a soldier who was on muffty, to an area and shot him dead.
Soldiers at the barracks were said to have be alerted about the incident and soldiers in response to the distress message, swiftly arrived the scene.
It was gathered that immediately the soldiers arrived the area, the unknown gunmen opened fire.
The soldiers were said to have responded and in the ensuing gun battle, two of the unknown gun men were killed.
Also, a young lady, a shop owner in Ohafia, whose name was given as Miss Chinenye Ajunwa from Amuta in Isuikwuato local government area, and who was resident in Ohafia with her father, was hit by stray bullet inside her shop during the gun duel and she dead instantly.
A brother to the late girl who confirmed her death said relatives of the deceased are totally pained over her death.
According to reports, the incident caused panic in the area, forcing some owners to close shops for fear of possible invasion of the community.
The Army Public Relations Officer (APRO) 14 Brigade, Lt. Innocent Omale could not be reached for comments, but a source from the Brigade that didn’t want his name in print confirmed the incident.
The source said apart from killing of the two unknown gunmen, a pump action gun, cutlasses and two motorbikes belonging to the gunmen were recovered by the soldiers.
Another source from the area hinted that the attack was not targeted at Kalu who was in Ohafia on official tour on the day of the incident.
The source who spoke against rumours making the rounds that Kalu was trapped inside the army barracks for two hours as a result of the attack, said Kalu was in far away Okon, and later Akanu, Ohafia where he was received by the people of the area, who lauded him for all he has been doing for them.