By CHARLES IWUOHA

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has awarded scholarships to the children of the 5 soldiers who were killed during an attack at a checkpoint in Obikabia, Ogbor Hill, Aba.

Otti made this promise when he paid a condolence visit to the headquarters of the 144 Battalion, Asa in Ukwa West council, to commiserate with the widows of the slain military personnel.

“Let me start by sending out words of sympathy to the Nigerian Army, the Brigade Commander himself and most importantly the families of the five fallen heroes.

“It’s as if General Diya was with me at the last place that we went to where I had promised everybody that was listening to me that we would smoke out whoever is remotely connected to this killing, whoever they are, wherever they are, wherever they run to,” he said.

To support the families of the slain soldiers, the Governor announced an automatic scholarship for the deceased’s children to the university level and promised that he would ensure that the scholarship was legalized by the state House of Assembly.

He explained that the legalization of the scholarship to the children of the dead soldiers is to ensure that successive governments continue to fund the scholarship.

Speaking earlier, the Brigade commander, 14 Brigade Ohafia, Brigadier General Olusola Diya said they were not relenting in their efforts to arrest those behind the criminal act, stressing that they had been gathering intelligence to bring whoever that is connected to the killing to justice.

He disclosed that two vehicles belonging to the Army were burnt, weapons carted away and 5 personnel lost their lives during the attack.