A military operation launched on Thursday to dislodge suspected militants and sea pirates from Oluasiri community in Nembe Local Government of Bayelsa state has led to the death of a six-month-old baby, her mother and two other persons.
Community sources said the incident claimed the lives of one Mr. Wilson Patason, Madam Beauty Christian, her six-month-old baby and another unnamed person. Many other persons were said to have been critically injured.
The Oluasiri community in a statement on Friday described the invasion as “reckless and nefarious” the wanton invasion of Ben-Ama and Tengele-Ama by the Nigerian military.
The community in a statement jointly signed by the President of Oluasiri Development Union, Gamage Difurotogu, and the President of Oluasiri Youth Federation, Kienworio Tanga, called on the Federal Government and Civil Liberties Organisation to carry out an investigation in order to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.
The community said, “The incident is show of stark recklessness for the military to invade hitherto peaceful communities with six gunboats, causing undue pandemonium, all in the name of searching for suspected criminals in the area.
“The people of the affected communities are law-abiding citizens. It was malicious for security agents to carry out the act. We urge the Nigerian military to go and search for the criminals at their various hideouts in the creeks, as no Oluasiri community is a safe haven to criminals.”
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