Two soldiers have been reported dead as unknown gunmen attacked a military checkpoint in Afikpo North Local Government area of Ebonyi State.

The attack occurred barely two hours after gunmen killed five policemen during an attack on Okigwe South Area Police Command in neighboring Imo state Monday night.

Peoples Gazette had reported that the gunmen during the attack on the Imo police command, released suspects and made away with police weapons.

The Nation reports that a top security source while confirming the incident said that the gunmen also carted away the rifles of the two murdered soldiers.

A community source disclosed that the gunmen arrived at the military checkpoint in a white bus at about 9:00 p.m. and opened fire on soldiers when they attempted searching the vehicle.

“It’s a very sad situation here. They said it was people suspected to be gunmen, who came to the checkpoint at Timber Shade (boundary Ehugbo and Amasiri) in white bus,” the community source said.

“As usual, it appeared the military were checking them and all of a sudden, they opened fire on them. Two of the military men, a man and woman, died. Others ran away.”

The growing attacks on security agencies have become an issue of concern in the Southeast and South south region as unknown gunmen have in the past weeks escalated attack on government facilities including correctional facilities, police commands, and other public assets across the region.

However, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the security wing of the South East secessionist group, IPOB, is believed to be the prime instigators of the increasing attacks. The group has, however, continued to deny involvement in the spiral of attacks on the region’s security structures.

The police on Saturday killed a commander of IPOB and six others shortly after shortly after a violent attack on Imo governor Hope Uzodinma’s country home in Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area.

Following the death of the IPOB warlord, the secessionist group vowed to deal with Mr Uzodinma for orchestrating the killing one of Commander Ikonso.

Within the past one week, there have been deadly attacks on police facilities in Enugu and Anambra states.

When contacted, police spokesperson in Ebonyi, Loveth Odah, asked the reporter to reach out to the military as she was not aware of the incident.

A spokesperson of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army covering the South-East could not be immediately reached for comments.