The Abia Government has denied that a security operative was killed in the gun battle in Aba, Abia’s commercial nerve centre, between security operatives and yet-to-be-identified gunmen in the early hours of yesterday (Monday, July 29).
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Okey Kanu, who made this known at a press briefing yesterday on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Umuahia, said: ”Earlier today, some criminal elements operating in three vehicles engaged in a gunfight with military personnel and with security operatives at Umuode Tonimas Junction along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
“From that spot, the armed criminals headed to Umuojima in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area where they had an exchange of gunfire with military personnel.
“In the ensuing gunfight the criminals were overwhelmed by the superior gun power of the security operatives and in the process, one of them was neutralised.
“The other criminals escaped with varying degrees of bullet wounds in one of their getaway vehicles, a Lexus SUV”.
Stating that security operatives were still on the trail of the fleeing assailants, Kanu said the government received credible intelligence that the criminal elements were on the prowl to cause mayhem in Abia but assured of the government’s determination to stop them.
The Abia government’s spokesman, who urged the people of Abia to be vigilant and report any suspicious moves by any individual to the nearest Police Station or any security agency, reiterated the state government’s resolve to not tolerate activities of criminal elements in Abia but maintain its zero-tolerance stance for criminal activities in God’s Own State.
“The state government has zero-tolerance for criminal activities, particularly those that would want to disturb the peace of the state and destroy the modest gains that the government has made in the past 13 months,” he declared.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Navy Commander McDonald Uba (rtd), who joined the Information Commissioner at the press briefing, insisted that there was no loss recorded on the side of security operatives in the Monday incident, pointing out that no record of casualty on the part of security agencies spoke to the fact that government had reviewed its strategy.
“The Governor has given marching orders that we no longer want to concede to these criminal elements who use occasional warfare to spring up surprises, shoot policemen, shoot army personnel and all that,” Uba said.
“What happened today (yesterday, Monday, July 29) is a testament to the fact that we have also reviewed our strategy and my assurance is that going forward it will be a different ballgame.”
He confirmed that one of the hoodlums was killed in the gun duel and security operatives had taken custody of the Toyota Highlander SUV in which he was being conveyed.
According to Uba, the other assailants who escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds are still being trailed and credible intelligence available to the government revealed that another assailant had died.
“I know before the day runs out we will close in on them, but this goes to show you that it is no longer business as usual,” he said.
