Bomadi, Tuomo, Ogbogbagbene communities lament intimidation by soldiers

Tension is still high at Ogbogbagbene communities as soldiers from the Joint Task Force (JTF) codenamed Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) continue to comb the area for the arrest of hoodlums who snuffed life out of a soldier a fortnight ago.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the level of intimidation and abuse of the rights of innocent citizens are still rife in parts of the community.

There is an alleged ongoing intimidation as soldiers compel natives to put their hands in the air every time they walk past military checkpoints in Bomadi.

It was also gathered that at Tuomo and Ogbogbagbene communities, natives heading or returning from their homes through the river as well as on the land must raise their hands in the various military formations in the area.

As a result, most residents, out of fear of molestation and intimidation by soldiers, are said to have decided to remain indoor and could not travel through the waterways for the days.

It was also gathered that most traders have stopped food supply to the communities due to fear of military molestation and undue intimidation on the waterways. At present, report says there is shortage of food supply and hike in prices of such commodities in the affected Bayelsa and Delta communities.

Speaking on the military siege, the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI) through its national president, Comrade Ozobo Austin, and its spokesman, Mayor Timi Ogobiri, who visited Bomadi, Tuomo and Ogbogagbene communities, called on the Federal Government and the Chief of Defence and Chief of Army Staff to caution its military personnel in the three communities.

The soldiers, they said, should be asked to stop intimidation and further transfer of aggression to innocent rural dwellers.

According to them, the killers of the soldier do not reside in the villages, noting that the suffering the community people were going through was uncalled for.

“The military should not subject innocent residents in the above mentioned communities to unnecessary pains of victimisation.

“We are not unaware of the loss of one military personnel at Ogbogbagbene and stealing of GPMG in the recent times in Burutu Local Government Area which has resulted in the unleashing of terror on innocent market women, children, youths and aged inhabitants in some communities.

“We equally appeal to the military authority to call their men not to derail from their professional rules of engagement as search for the perpetrators of the heinous crime against humanity and the military continues.

“Subjecting the people to unnecessary corporal punishment by raising up their hands and delay of vehicular movements should stop forthwith as such will not provide any solution to unravel the perpetrators,” the activist disclosed.

The group expressed further shock at the level of destruction of properties in Bomadi and other communities in the name of hunting for killers of the soldier.

“The military must not forget that they have a sole and constitutional responsibilities to secure the lives and property of Nigerians without ethnic, religious sentiments and bias.

“We are shocked at the level of destruction of properties of innocent market women at Bomadi and other affected communities which is called for condemnation by well meaning Nigerians.

“The military should not cause unnecessary tension in Niger Delta by subjecting innocent residents into untold hardships and inhuman treatment to traders, rural dwellers, ferry, commuters, commercial motors, marine transporters of the affected  communities.

“This must not result to committing war crime against humanity and creating artificial humanitarian crises please.

“The military’s continual unlawful invasion of innocent communities may jeopardise peace in Niger Delta region.

“It is equally our appeal to such communities to aid the military with useful informations which may lead to the unravelling of the perpetrators who invaded the innocent military personnel,” the group stated.

Meanwhile,the authorities of OPDS could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.