Army hunts for killers of soldiers in Bayelsa
• Dickson, Buratai condemn attacks
A manhunt has
begun for militants who killed three soldiers attached to the Operation Delta
Safe in Bayelsa State on Monday, according to the Nigerian Army. Meanwhile, the
state government has condemned the killing of the soldiers in Nembe community,
describing the action as barbaric and not in the best interest of the people.
Similarly, the
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has said that the
killing of both army and air force personnel in Bosso, Niger State, is
unacceptable to the military.
While
commiserating with the military over the brutal killing in Bayelsa by armed
bandits, Governor Seriake Dickson described the incident as most painful and
unfortunate. He pointed out that a similar incident occurred in July last year,
when soldiers were attacked at the same security checkpoint in Nembe, resulting
in deaths.
Addressing the
people of Nembe at the King Koko Square, in the community, the governor, who
was represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), said
he took it upon himself to visit the scene of the incident to condole with the
military authorities, with a view to dousing the palpable tension occasioned by
the sad incident.
While urging
members of the community, who have fled to return home, Dickson called on
youths and other stakeholders to collaborate with the military authorities in
order to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book. He pleaded with
the clergy to continue to pray for lasting peace in the community.
The Commander,
Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral J. O. Okojie, assured the people of Nembe
that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be made to account for their
mindless actions, adding that his men were already on their trail.
Okojie urged
residents of the community to volunteer useful information to the military
authorities, promising that innocent citizens would not be molested.
Earlier in their
separate speeches, Ebi Ben-Ololo, member representing Nembe Constituency I in
the House of Assembly; Chief Bright Erewari-Iweka, vice-chairman, Nembe Council
of Chiefs; and Chief Walter Feghabo-Amain, all condemned the killing of the
soldiers and expressed their condolences to the military authorities.
They also
recalled that since the coming of the military joint task force to Nembe, the
community had enjoyed relative peace. They said the residents would continue to
co-operate with the security operatives, with a view to ensuring that the
killers are apprehended and made to face wrath of the law.
Gen. Buratai,
speaking on the Niger killings, said that as armed forces they would continue
to perform their constitutional roles as they have the mandate to bring any
ugly situation under control.
He spoke to
journalists at the 332 Artillery Regiment in Shendam after inspecting the
military formation there in the evening of Monday.
The COAS, who
was visibly angry at the killing of the military personnel, described the
incident as very wicked and unfortunate. The security operatives were said to
have been ambushed and murdered.
According to
him, the troops were on their legal duties to ensure that the arms kept in the
communities as well as the locally fabricated weapons are retrieved.
“Instead of the
communities to be law-abiding, they took the law into their hands and attacked
our troops and unfortunately they killed both the army and air force personnel
there. This is unacceptable and we will continue to perform our constitutional
roles. We have that mandate to bring any situation under control and we are
working in synergy with the civil police to ensure that we keep our society
free of such criminalities,” Buratai stressed.
Shedding more
light on the directive by the president that the army should deal decisively
with the perceived herdsmen who are terrorising the communities, he said the
army had been doing that and would continue to do that.
The COAS said
the army was working in synergy with all the affected state governments and
other security agencies. “Intelligence is vital. We are gathering all the
necessary intelligence to ensure that we target those criminals that are
causing this menace in our society. So, we are carrying out Mr. President’s
directives and we will make sure that we implement them to the fullest. So, we
are committed to having a very safe and peaceful society.”
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