Some indigenes of Sand-sand community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have expressed outrage over alleged invasion of their community by armed soldiers in search of suspected members of the Niger Delta Avengers.
The community alleged on Friday that even though the soldiers neither made any arrests
nor discovered the suspected militants, they destroyed scores of houses, churches and schools, leaving only one school standing.
An indigene, Chief Dede Francis, said the incident, which occurred on Monday, left the community deserted, with displaced residents either hiding in the bush or seeking refuge in the neighbouring Ogbolomabiri community.
He said, “We were shocked on Monday when armed soldiers invaded our community. Their coming jolted us because we have never had incident of violence and criminality in the community. We tried to talk to them but all our efforts were futile.
“After hours of intimidation and harassment, they told us that some suspected members of the Niger Delta Avengers were chased into our community. They claimed the suspected Avengers exchanged gunfire with their personnel. We are shocked. The so-called militants did not enter our community.”
Francis added that after the soldiers departed, the suspected members of the NDA made an attempt on the life of the head of the community, accusing him of selling them to the soldiers.
But the authorities of the Joint Task Force, codenamed Operation Delta Safe, had in a statement said the troops conducted patrols in Sand-sand fishing camp in Bayelsa and discovered suspected militants’ camp.
Meanwhile, the state chairman of Civil Liberties Organisation, Chief Nengi James, described the invasion as horrific and a deliberate act of instigating anger against the ongoing dialogue between the Federal Government and the Niger Delta elders. He also called on the National Assembly and the Presidency to investigate the invasion.
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