By Nelson Utip
Soldiers of The Nigerian army went berserk in Igbomotoru community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State killing many and houses burnt in retaliation of the 16 officer killed in a Delta State community on Thursday last week.
The invasion of the community was in search of the culprits of the Thursday incident as some of the perpetrators of the dastardly act were believed to have taken refuge in the community.
A source confirmed that the combat-ready soldiers stormed Igbomotoru in five gunboats as about three houses suspected to be used as hideouts by a militant leader and his gang were razed down by the soldiers.
The combat ready army men were said to have allegedly shot sporadically at some youths sighted at the jetty before proceeding to set ablaze the three houses but the militant leader and his men were said to had fled the area when the incident occurred.
The sporadic gunfire were said to have caused panic in the community and the residents ran into the bush and creeks for safety.
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“The military invasion has affected the people gravely. Lives have been lost, property have been destroyed. Even after the attack, I am sure that life in that community can never be the same.
“This weekend was scheduled for the burial of one of my late uncles. We have paid for food, drinks, music, speedboat and canopies. And now because of this, the burial can no longer hold. In fact some of the people we have paid money are saying that if the date would be changed then we would have to pay extra money. Is that not a huge loss? So we would have to start looking for more money, that is if there will ever be peace in the community.” The source narrated.
“I am appealing to the federal and state government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in this matter. We do not have a hand in whatever that transpired in Delta State. The international community should come to our aid.”
“For now, I’m in the bush as I speak. But in the early hours of yesterday (Sunday) around 8 o’clock in the morning, I saw military gunboats about seven, and one passport that came to the community.
“I was standing at the waterside looking at them; they saw some of our youths in the jetty and that was how they started shooting at them. Many people are dead. Since yesterday (Sunday), we have been hiding.” Another source said.
The spokesman for The Nigerian Army 16 Brigade, Elebele-Yenagoa could not be reached to comment on the shooting.
