(Photo used for illustrative purpose).
The Paramount Ruler of Igbomotoru communities in Bayelsa State, HRH Ayibaikie Aseimighen Ofongo, has commended the military operations in the area.
Sources had disclosed that following the killing of the 17 soldiers in Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, the Nigerian Army had invaded Igbomotoru to search for the suspected militant leader that masterminded the killing.
According to the report by Newsmen on Sunday, Ofongo said that the military came because they heard that the man that carried out the killing of the soldiers was hiding in Igbomotoru.
Speaking to newsmen in Yenogoa, the capital of Bayelsa, the monarch said that when the soldiers arrived, some young men who belonged to the gang of the wanted suspect came out to confront them, and the army opened fire, and some of the gang members were killed.
He said, "The army troops that came, they know where the person they wanted was and they went there, and some miscreants who are members of the militant gang came out and wanted to know what was happening in their usual militant way, and there was opening of fire from the Army, and some of them were killed. So, it was only members of the militant gang that were killed, not the natives."
The monarch said that there have been some internal security issues in Igbomotoru for some time now due to the activities of the militant group. He said that his own life was threatened, and he had to escape from the community. He revealed that he has not been to his village for about three years, and that he only went there when he heard about the death of his relations.
Ofongo called on the military to establish a military formation in Igbomotoru community to checkmate the criminal activities of the militants.
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