Eleven bodies have been recovered in Igbomotoru, a community in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State.
This followed yesterday’s invasion of the area by soldiers onboard five gunboats, who razed three houses suspected to be the hideout of a militant leader allegedly involved in the killing of military men on rescue mission in Delta State.
A community source said they have recovered eleven corpses while many others are unaccounted as of the time of filing this report last night.
He said the troops stormed the community, shooting sporadically on residents who were relaxing on the jetty before proceeding to set ablaze the three buildings suspected to be the hideout of the said militant leader.
Killing Of 16 Soldiers: DHQ Denies Reprisal Attacks, Says There’ll Still Be Consequences
The source said, “The military invasion has affected the people gravely. Lives have been lost, properties have been destroyed. Even after the attack, I am sure that life in that community can never be the same.
“This weekend was scheduled for the burial of one of my late uncles. We have paid for food, drinks, music, speedboat and canopies. And now because of this, the burial can no longer hold.
“In fact, some of the people we have paid money to are saying that if the date would be changed then we would have to pay extra money.
Is that not a huge loss? So, we would have to start looking for more money, that is if there will ever be peace in the community.
“I am appealing to the federal and state government to intervene in this matter. We do not have a hand in whatever transpired in Delta State. The international community should come to our aid,” he said.
