President Bola Tinubu has condemned the killing of five soldiers by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Aba, Abia State, saying the killers committed a treasonable offence.

Tinubu also vowed that the federal government would come down heavily against those responsible for the killing of soldiers in the country.

The slain soldiers were on peacekeeping duty in Aba, Abia State, on Thursday, May 30, 2024, when they were murdered, just two months after a similar incident occurred in Okuama in Delta State.

Tinubu, in a statement on Saturday, June 1, described the killing of the military personnel as “unwarranted barbaric and evil acts” that should never be condoned and tolerated in the country.

The president noted: “Our soldiers and the police have the onerous duty to protect all of us from aggressors and non-state actors.

“Hundreds of them have paid the ultimate price in fulfilment of their duty, while some have experienced the indignity of being manhandled by the people they protect. They surely do not deserve the mindless attacks by unruly elements in our society.

Sit-at-home: Gunmen kill soldiers in Abia

“The federal government will come down heavily against those who have made it a habit to needlessly attack the officers and men of our armed forces. On no account should anyone, under any guise, have the audacity to kill agents of state.

“I want to make it clear that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the armed forces have the capacity to crush violent non-state actors, making our communities unsafe.

“I urge security agencies not only to fish out the masterminds and perpetrators of the Aba attack, but also those calling on people to stay at home. Their action is nothing but a treasonable offence.”

He stressed that the fact that the security forces are exercising necessary restraints should not be mistaken for weakness, adding: “We are working to build a peaceful and harmonious society, but nobody should be under any illusion that the government will not act appropriately when the lives of our officers and men are wantonly taken.”

President Tinubu, therefore, condoled with the families of the five slain soldiers, their colleagues, and the leadership of Armed Forces, saying: “I urge other men and women on peacekeeping duty not to be discouraged by the unfortunate incident in Aba.”

The Star