Following the tragic killing of 16 soldiers and officers in Okuama Community, Delta State, Nigerian Army troops have launched a retaliatory invasion into the Igbomotoru community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Reports indicate that soldiers, arriving in five gunboats, razed houses suspected of harboring a militant leader involved in the Delta State incident.
The deceased soldiers, from the 181 Amphibious Battalion in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta, were on a rescue mission. Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, ordered an immediate investigation into the heinous crime. Subsequently, residents of the Okuama community fled to neighboring Ughelli for fear of reprisals. In the Bayelsa raid, troops allegedly opened fire on residents at the jetty and set ablaze buildings suspected to be the militant leader's hideout.
The community has reported 11 casualties, with ongoing efforts to locate more victims. The invasion has left a profound impact, disrupting daily life and even affecting scheduled events like burials. Calls for government intervention and appeals to the international community have emerged amidst the escalating violence. Attempts to reach the spokesman for Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) for comment were unsuccessful, highlighting the urgency and gravity of the situation.
