BAYELSA (Sundiata Post) – Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has raised the alarm of an alleged invasion of Igbomotoru 2 community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State by military men, killing no fewer than 40 people in the early hours of Sunday.
IYC called on security chiefs, security advisers and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come to the aid of the community.
The IYC President, Dr. Alaye Theophilus, at a world press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, said the community has been held hostage by the military men and that many houses have been burnt.
The 9th President of IYC wondered what would lead to the alleged invasion, stating that Igbomotoru communities were peaceful until the troops arrived for their onslaught.
Theophilus, who displayed gory pictures showing dead bodies littering streets, claimed that a humanitarian crisis was going on in the community, adding that military men have stopped people from exiting and entering the community.
He said, “On Sunday, 17th of March, in the early hours of that day, nine military boats invaded Ebemetoro 2 community in Bayelsa State and started shooting into the community. They killed fathers and mothers and youths. They killed over 40 people. While some dead bodies were burnt, others were thrown into the river to be flown into the Atlantic Ocean.
“We are calling on the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, National Security Adviser and the President of the country, Bola Tinubu and others to come to the aid of Igbomotoru 2 community.
“There is a humanitarian crisis in this community. Military has refused to allow people to come into the community and people from coming in too. They have held the people hostage. I don’t know why they are taking such action. There is no community that is devoid of criminals. If there are issues, the criminals should be fished out and punished accordingly. It is not to go and destroy the entire community.”
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Theophilus, who wondered if the killing of the 16 soldiers was the reason for the invasion of the Bayelsa State community, explained that Igbomotoru 2, an Ijaw community, is not even a border community with Okuama in Delta State.
He urged the military to be more professional in their quest to fight criminality, adding that the crime of one man should not see the end of the entire community.
“Okuama community is not an Ijaw community and they are not boundary communities with Igbomotoru 2 either. We don’t know the yardstick used in reaching this decision.
“We are saying that from today, the military should be professional in their engagement. We don’t want to slide into the pre-amnesty era where the whole region was in a state of lawlessness.
“We cannot fold our hands and watch the Nigerian military in this 21st century kill our people like fowls. We are also calling on the military to explain to the Ijaw nation the reason for the invasion of Igbomotoru 2 community.”
The IYC President also condemned the killing of 16 soldiers who were on a peacekeeping mission at Okuama community in Delta State.
“We condemn what happened in Delta State, where armed men killed over 16 soldiers that were going for peacekeeping. We don’t accept that in the Niger Delta. This is an act that no sane man will be happy about.
“Oftentimes, when we have some misguided youths act against security operatives, we experience invasion, burning down of the community. We want to ask if it is the same rule of engagement they apply in other zones of the country.
“We are appealing to the Nigerian military to ensure that there will no longer be reprisal while they are routing for the culprits. What we are experiencing in Okuama is the burning down of houses and killings. We are calling on the President and Chief of Defence Staff to come to the aid of Niger Delta.”
