IPDI regrets killing soldiers, burning Letugbene Community

The Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative (IPDI) regrets the killing of innocent military personnel by suspected sea bandits and the subsequent burning of harmless Letugbene community in Southern Ijaw council area of Bayelsa state.

This is contained in a statement signed by the National President of IPDI, Comrade Ozobo Austin and made available to Nigerian Tribune in Yenagoa.

The statement reads: “We learnt some military personnel were gruesomely murdered on Sunday at Letugbene and Tunu Rivers and the military vented its reprisal attack on the harmless Letugbene and Bilabiri communities, resulting to burning of Letugbene community and destruction of several houses in Bilabiri in mere suspicion as result of proximity to the incident.

Austin said the group condemns the twin actions by the suspected sea bandits and the reprisal burning of sleeping innocent Letugbene community by the military.

The document states, “In as much as we condemn the barbaric killing of military by suspected bandits; we equally aver that Letugbene and Bilabiri communities are not criminal hideouts and that it is unprofessional for the military to have burnt Letugbene community.

He lamented the commando style and the sporadic shooting that caused unprecedented threat and panic on innocent indigenes of the community, stressing that it was gathered some women and children are still missing in the bush as residents scamper for safety.

Austin noted that the vice chairman, Akpozenebrapagha Namalate house was erroneously burnt down by the military at Letugbene community. Even if some persons are suspected in the community, such is not enough reason to burn innocent residents of any community.

“The military should exercise restraint in its operations in unravelling the suspected criminals. The military should separate innocent people from criminals in its operations and that attempt to punish the innocent for offence they know nothing about will only show how unprofessional the military is.

He picked holes that such barbaric killings against the military appears to be daily routine in the north but nor of such communities where this incidents are happening are being burnt down.

IPDI called on the military to stop further burning of innocent Ijaw communities in Niger Delta region if they are not a security threat in the region, just as we averred that the perpetrators should be unravelled in no distant time.

The group, therefore appealed that innocent persons arrested should be released and house burnt be rebuilt by relevant authorities responsible for the burning the community.