Tears, sorrow as military razes Bayelsa community over killing of four soldiers

Military personnel have evening razed the Letugbene Community in Ekeremor Council Area of Bayelsa State, leaving behind tales of sorrow and tears among the residents.

Although not confirmed by the military, the invasion was in reprisals while the army personnel search for the alleged killers of four soldiers and a civilian tugboat captain.

During the invasion, no fewer than four houses and camps of two suspected pirates were razed in the coastal community by troops, leaving resident of the community in serious tension.

A source in the community said the invasion was a retaliatory move by the military following the killing of its personnel and a civilian by some suspected sea pirates along the Letugbene waterways.

It was learnt that the soldiers were escorting a barge conveying some equipment belonging to a multinational oil company operating in the western axis of the state when they came under attack on Sunday afternoon.

Also killed during the attack, which reportedly occurred at 3pm was the civilian captain on board the tugboat towing the barge carrying two cranes allegedly heading to Tunu, a Shell location in the mangrove swamp.

Another source said the military had planned to set up a security post around the Letugbene waterways before the incident occurred.

He said, “It was a tragic Sunday, a Joint Task Force (JTF) gunboat and open boat came to Letugbene for a meeting with the leadership of the community on how they could set up a security post in the area that day.

“While the military team was discussing its mission, some sea pirates terrorising the waterways sighted a tugboat towing a barge carrying two cranes to a Shell location on the Atlantic fringe and attacked the vessel killing four soldiers and the civilian captain.

“We gathered that the military team that came to Letugbene only heard of the attack before they returned to Tunu.

Narrating the invasion by troops in search of the alleged killers of their colleagues, an indigene of the area said, “Following the attack, the military stormed Letugbene on Monday morning asking the community to produce the killers. But they were told that the suspects are not from the community.

“The operatives backed by gunboats returned in the evening and torched some houses, causing the natives to flee their homes and take refuge in the mangrove.

“What is happening along the Letugbene waterways is becoming a recurring decimal. Miscreants always take advantage of the maze of creeks in the area to carry out their criminal activities only to expose the innocent natives to reprisals from the military.

“The Obiokpo creek linking Azagbene and Ezetu outlets need security outpost to checkmate the activities of sea pirates,” he added.

When contacted, Spokesman of Operation Delta Safe, Major Victor Olukoya, could not be reached after several calls and text messages to his mobile phone.