Former Anambra State Governor and the Labour Party Presidential candidate in the last general elections in Nigeria, Peter Obi has spoken out to chide or rebuke the killing of a police officer and SuperSports Television reporters by Unknown Gunmen along the dreaded and dangerous Ihiala-Orlu road in Anambra State last Tuesday while they were enroute to Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State for the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON qualifier match between Nigeria Super Eagles and Libya Mediterranean Knights that was held last Friday.

Ihiala-Orlu road has been like a death trap where unknown gunmen have been killing alot of travellers especially security operatives in recent years which amongst others included the killing of Major Churchill Orji, police escorts of former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and the killing of military couple at Orlu forest who was travelling to Nkwerre in Imo State for their wedding, Master Warrant Officer, Linus Audu, and his partner, an Army Private, Gloria Matthew alongside military colleagues and family members.

Meanwhile Police in Anambra State have rescued six journalists who were abducted along the Isseke-Orlu Road in Ihiala while travelling from Lagos to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, incident two SuperSports TV reporters and one police officer were killed on Tuesday.

The police spokesperson in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Thursday, said joint security forces carried out the rescue operation.

He said efforts were ongoing to locate a seventh crew member who remains missing.

Nigeria Football Federation confirmed the killing of the journalists on Saturday in a news release.

“Information gathered on the incident revealed that the bandits opened fire on the bus in which the SuperSport operatives were travelling, with Staff and security personnel on board, and the attack immediately resulted in the deaths of a cameraman, a police officer, and the bus driver,” the NFF said on Saturday.

NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau said though Nigeria defeated Libya 1-0 in the Friday encounter in the Southern city of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, the incident has cast a shadow on the Super Eagles’ victory.

“Yes, we won the match against Libya and took three points, but the fact that three lives were lost created a situation in which we were unable to celebrate properly, and it hurts seriously to even think back at the unfortunate incident,” Gusau said.

He recalled Nigeria’s “long and fruitful relationship with SuperSport” and said the football body shares in “their pain and sorrow at this period.

“Our prayer is that the Almighty will comfort the SuperSport family and the families of the deceased, and also grant the deceased eternal rest,” he said while praying for the safe return of one person “still unaccounted for”.

Fourteen persons were said to have been in the vehicle at the time of the ambush.

“Eight persons were eventually rescued, two escaped on their own, three were killed and one person is still unaccounted for,” the NFF’s statement read.

We had reported in earlier in the year that the Nigerian Army authority said that a combined team of security operatives in the country have destroyed the dreaded Mother Valley camp, believed to be one of the major headquarters of the Biafra secessionist armed groups which is about 5000 feet below sea level spanning between Orsu Local government area in Imo State and Ihiala Local government area in Anambra State.

Nigerian Army attached to the news release, pictorial evidences of activities of actions of military troops in the recaptured communities and Mother Valley forest with signposts showing Lilu in Ihiala.

Nigerian Army had said: “Recalling the commencement of the Joint Task Force South East Operation Udo Ka (OPUK) that started on 11 February 2024, the combined JTF troops of NA, NN and NAF as well as personnel of NPF, DSS and NSCDC had cleared and liberated Orsu, Eke-Ututu, Tango One Orsumorghu, Ihiteukwa Ihittenansa and Lilu over the last 3 weeks.

In continuation of the sustained operations, the JTF OPUK troops on 7 March 2024 cleared and destroyed the notorious Supreme Headquarters of the terrorists Indigenous People of Biafara (IPOB) and its armed affiliate Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The headquarters that serves as the last IPOB/ESN stronghold is located in the Mother Valley and spans Orsu and Ihiala Local government areas of Imo and Anambra States respectively is about 5,000 feet below sea level. The well concealed and forested location affords the terrorists good cover from air surveillance. It also serves as their command and control centre and military council headquarters.

During the raid operations, the gallant troops encountered, detonated and recovered many command Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and various types of obstacles which were cleared by the determined troops. The troops also came in contact with the terrorists but were subdued with superior fire power with many neutralized while others with varying degrees of gunshot wounds fled into the bush. Thus, all Ndi-Imo and Ndi-Anambra are requested to report any strange face in their communities to OPUK by dialing Emergency Line 193 and Press 2 from their phones.

In addition to many weapons, equipment, IEDs and stolen vehicles recovered over the last 3 weeks, items recovered in the Mother Valley include; 3 x G3 rifles, 9 x Automatic Pump Action Rifles, 7 x Double Barrel Guns, 2 x Locally Made Pistols, 2 x Rocket Propelled Grenade Bombs, 2 x AK 47 Magazine and 1 x G3 Magazine.

Others are 26 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 16 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 72 Pump Action Cartridges , 1 x Chainsaw, 1 x Laptop, 1 x CCTV DVR, 26 x CCTV Cameras. 17 x Baofeng Radios with Batteries and 10 without batteries including their chargers.

Also recovered are, 6 x Handheld IEDs, 26 x android phones, 25 x normal phones, 1 x inverter, 1 x SIM Card Registration Machine, 4 x POS machines, 3 x Motorcycle batteries for igniting IEDs, 2 x Trumpets, 2 x Biafra flags, 20 x ESN certificates, 2 x Dairies containing details of ammunition and food supplies and 2 pairs of Biafra Liberation Army uniforms.

The joint troops also destroyed about 50 tents in the Valley housing the Supreme Headquarters, IPOB/ESN command and control center, Buteuzor’s hideout and residence, offices, their logistics base, temples and shrines used for occultic practices among many other items.

The Force Commander,  Joint Task Force South East Operation Udo Ka, Major General Hassan Taiwo Dada wishes to appreciate the incredible cooperation of sister Services and other security agencies for the success achieved so far.

The Force Commander also enjoins the leaders of all liberated communities to return to their ancestral homes, emplace community efforts to ensure that all criminal elements not from the communities are not allowed to return to desecrate their homelands. The JTF OPUK will continue to provide all security support to such communities within the ambit of the law.

Furthermore, all law abiding Ndigbos are enjoined to provide timely and actionable information through OPUK Emergency Line 193 then press Option 2 to help make the South East geopolitical zone a peaceful and conducive environment for socio-economic development to thrive”.

Peter Obi while reacting to the killing of the journalists described gunmen killing in nigeria as never ending incidents that is getting worse by the day.

He said and  in quote: “the never-ending incidents of killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes across the country have continued to be of concern to many. The situation has continued unabated and is worse by the day.

Non-state actors have continued to inflict pain and sorrow on families whose loved ones are often kidnapped and sometimes killed in gruesome manners.

In particular, I condemn, in totality, the unfortunate killing of some crew members of Supersports TV,  who were attacked in a tragic ambush along the Ihiala-Orlu Road, Anambra State, a few days ago.

These media practitioners were on their way to Uyo to perform official duty for their medium and, indeed, the nation when the tragic incident happened, resulting in their death and the kidnap of others.

Two days ago, a few persons were also reportedly killed while some others were injured in a terror attack carried out by criminals in the Agatu local government area of Benue state.

These violent attacks, many of which go unreported, have now continued to define our daily existence in our once-secured nation.

We are gradually losing count of the people who have lost their lives to insecurity in our nation.

How much longer do we allow our people to die before we decide enough is enough?

I condole with the families who have lost dear ones to these recent attacks while praying for eternal rest on the dead and quick recovery for the injured.

We are all in this together as a nation and will continue to demand for the security of lives and property of every Nigerian”