Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
As tension continues to build in Ekenobizi Community in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, over a possible reprisal attack by the Army following the killing of two soldiers at a military checkpoint in the community by unknown gunmen, Senator Austin Akobundu, representing Abia Central district, has appealed to the Nigeria Army not to resort to reprisal attack.
Recall that unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday attacked the Army checkpoint, killing the victims before escaping the scene after a gun duel with the soldiers.
The assailants abandoned two of their vehicles, a sienna car and a Lexus Jeep, before fleeing the scene.
Since then the Umuahia-Mbaise road has been blocked by security operatives who also diverted vehicular traffic to other alternate routes.
Locals have since deserted the community for fear of reprisal.
Senator Akobundu, a retired Colonel who spoke in Umuahia while presenting his score card since moving to the Senate a year ago, strongly condemned the attack on the military checkpoint.
The former Defense Minister said Abia State Government had commenced serious engagement with the Army to contain the situation.
He expressed hope that the perpetrators of the dastardly act and their sponsors would be apprehended.
He, therefore, pleaded with the Army not to be tempted to resort to any unprofessional conduct.
“I believe the military will not do anything untoward in terms of reprisal because the community maybe innocent,” the former Defense Minister said.
Senator Akobundu, who enumerated some of his achievements in the past one year, promised to give the zone a more qualitative representation.
Some of the key achievements include sponsoring a Bill for the establishment of an Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Umuahia North; sponsoring a Bill for the establishment of a Federal College of Health Technology in Ikwuano; and the sponsorship of a Bill for the establishment of the National Sports University, Nsulu, which has scaled through first reading.
The Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs, said he had been engaging the relevant authorities for the completion of the various abandoned federal projects in Abia Central.
He also said he sponsored free training of youths in digital technology; and 113 constituents for training at the National Teachers’ Institute to improve education quality.
Senator Akobundu also said he trained 100 youths in sewing and fish farming, adding that participants were empowered with sewing machines and stipends of N50,000– N100,000.
Others include the distribution of 620 bags of rice and 2,232 bottles of groundnut oil in April; and facilitation of N50,000 credit facilities to low-income earners in May 2024.
Senator Akobundu also said he distributed 2,000 bags of fertilizer to farmers in September.
On the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene federal road, Senator Akobundu said he was mounting pressure on the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who would also be a beneficiary of the completion of the project.
He expressed optimism that the road would soon be completed.
The 51-kilometer road has for years been the nightmare of motorists and commuters plying the route.
