Two months after the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, officially in search of kidnappers, invaded Bolou-Tubegbe community, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State with gunboats and warplanes, burning down houses, distressed residents of the community have cried out to the Federal Government that they were living in hell and abandoned since the offensive.
Leaders of the community have issued the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to visit the community and address the plight of the people or face court action for misapplication of power.
Operatives of the military JTF, Bomadi Division, Nigerian Navy, Warri Command and Nigeria Airforce, Warri, stormed the community on December 10, last year, in a combined anti-bunkering/sea piracy operation.
NDV visits Bolou-Tubegbe community: NDV visited the community two months after the invasion, where the traditional head of Bolou-Tubegbe community, Chief Boro Ebegha, traditional head of the parent community, Tubegbe, Chief Christopher Appeal, chairmen of both communities, Mr. Jacob Pereotubo, Mr. Omoro Lawrence and others were met deliberating on the studied destruction and worsening dilemma of victims.
Communities cry: out In a resolution signed by Chief Ebegha, Chief Appeal and two others, they said: “As elders and opinion leaders of Tubegbe and Bolou-Tubegbe communities, we hereby inform the Federal Government that indigenes of Bolou-Tubegbe are going through hell with utter abandonment.
“On 10th December, 2020, the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force all from Warri, and JTF Bomadi and Warri commands invaded our community with four gunboats, two warplanes and burnt down our community. “In the course of the invasion, about 5,000 indigenes have been rendered homeless as property worth billions of naira were destroyed in the community.
We are going through hell: “As law-abiding citizens, we waited patiently for government intervention for two months with no response. We are going through hell as epidemic outbreak, both airborne and water-borne, as well as hunger, are order of the day.
JTF commander told us it’s routine operation: “The community contacted the JTF Commander, Bomadi Division, Captain Dominic, over the issue and he said that it was a normal routine anti-bunkering and sea piracy operation.
What we want from Buhari: “We want to know from the Commander-in-chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, how a routine anti-bunkering and sea piracy operation should warrant burning down of a whole community which has existed for over 1000 years?
“Note that Bolou-Tubegbe is not a militant camp, it is a community of law-abiding citizens under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Some victims, women and children are still taking refuge in Tubegbe here.
21-day notice: “As law-abiding citizens, we will still wait for the Federal Government to visit the community to do the needful, failure to which we will seek redress in a competent court of law for misuse of power after 21 days of this Save-Our-Soul, SOS,” they added.
