Soldiers have tracked down the alleged militant leader responsible for the deaths of sixteen soldiers at Okuama Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, and have linked him to the riverine Igbomoturu community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. There, they destroyed some militant-owned homes and killed some youths who resisted their incursion.
Around eight in the morning on Sunday, the military arrived in seven gunboats and a passport boat, surrounded the village, and made the people go into the bush for safety.
In order to catch those suspected of escaping to the Akugbene village in the Bomadi Local Government Area, troops also landed upon it.
On allegation of harbouring the wanted chairman of the Okuama community and other suspects, the troops carried the chairman of the Akugbene community and many others to Bomadi, the council area headquarters.
On Monday, however, Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori paid a visit to the Nigerian military's 181 Amphibious Battalion at Bomadi.
The town by the river saw increased security in preparation of Oborevwori's visit. A helicopter flew overhead as combined security forces positioned armoured vehicles at key spots starting in the early hours of the day.
The governor met with the army authority behind closed doors for more than an hour at the Niger Delta Development Commission, located on NDDC Road in Bomadi, after proceeding directly to the military base.
According to the findings, the governor's visit had something to do with the troops' deaths last week and the ensuing destruction of the Okuama village.
Vanguard made no attempt to communicate with the governor during his visit, though.
On Monday, however, Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori paid a visit to the Nigerian military's 181 Amphibious Battalion at Bomadi.
The town by the river saw increased security in preparation of Oborevwori's visit. A helicopter flew overhead as combined security forces positioned armoured vehicles at key spots starting in the early hours of the day.
The governor met with the army authority behind closed doors for more than an hour at the Niger Delta Development Commission, located on NDDC Road in Bomadi, after proceeding directly to the military base.
According to the findings, the governor's visit had something to do with the troops' deaths last week and the ensuing destruction of the Okuama village.
Vanguard made no attempt to communicate with the governor during his visit, though.
He kept off on speaking.Rt. Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, the member of the House of Representatives who represents the Ughelli North, Ughelli South, and Udu Federal Constituencies, has called for an end to the military's current siege of the Okuama community in Delta State, stating that demolishing the community is not the right course of action in light of the deaths of sixteen soldiers.
The killings in the Okuama community, Ewu Clan in Ughelli South local government area, a part of Waive's constituency, have been condemned in a statement released yesterday by the House Committee on Rules and Business Chairman Waive, who also called for peace and order.
"I don't understand how a town with only a few hundred people can inflict this kind of harm on our military," he said. I'm concerned that there might not be fifth columnists or other special interests involved, but I think a careful, objective, and expert investigation will solve this issue.
"I was shocked to discover about the murders in the Okuama Community of the Ewu Clan in Ughelli South LGA, which is an area of my district. I have to start by urging all sides involved in the conflict to put an end to the fighting and give way to peace.
