By Abiola Olawale
There is palpable tension and fear in Bayelsa State as some troops of the Nigerian Army allegedly stormed the Igbomotoru Community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
The reported attack comes after the gruesome murder of 16 soldiers and officers at Okuama Community in Delta State. About 11 people have been reported dead in the attack on the Igbomotoru community. This is believe to be an action predicated on intelligence report that the militant leader behind the gruesome killing of Army officers and men in Okuoma community may have allegedly come from the nearby Ijaw community and are hiding in Igbomotoru community of Bayelsa state.
According to the report, the angry military troops stormed the community in five gunboats, shooting sporadically before proceeding to raze houses suspected to be the hideout of the said militant leader believed to be involved in the killing of the military men who were on a rescue mission in Delta.
The New Diplomat reports that an Army Commander, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers were killed in Okuama. The deceased officers and soldiers were from 181 Amphibious Battalion in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta.
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An eyewitness source who spoke with the members of the press said immediately the troops stormed the Bayelsa community, they opened fire on some residents relaxing at the jetty before proceeding to set ablaze the three buildings suspected to be the hideout of the said militant leader.
He said the community had been able to recover 11 corpses from the attack, while still searching for others as at the time of filing this report.
According to him, “The military invasion has affected the people gravely. Lives have been lost, properties have been destroyed. Even after the attack, I am sure that life in the community will never be the same.
“This weekend was scheduled for the burial of one of my late uncles. We had paid for food, drinks, music, a speedboat, and canopies. And now because of this, the burial can no longer hold.
“Some of the people we paid money to are saying that if the date changes, we would have to pay extra money. Is that not a huge loss on its own? So we would have to start looking for more money, that is if there will ever be peace in the community.
“I am appealing to the Federal and State Governments to as a matter of urgency intervene in this matter. We do not have a hand in whatever transpired in Delta State. The international community should come to our aid.”
