Soldiers Barred Us From Burying Loved Ones After Clash – Cross River Community

Fleeing residents of a Cross River community have alleged that troops prevented them from returning to bury relatives killed in a clash last week.

The soldiers, drawn from 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army and the 245 Battalion, Edor Barracks, were deployed to Odonget community in Obubra local government area following unrest linked to illegal mining activities.

Locals claimed that corpses still litter parts of the community after the violence, with families unable to retrieve or bury their dead.

An Odonget youth leader, Theo Abeng, who spoke from neighbouring Ochon village, said that he and two others attempted to re-enter Odonget to arrange burials but were chased away  by soldiers.

“The soldiers opened fire on us. One of the boys was killed and we had to flee, leaving his body behind. We also saw bodies from last week still decomposing because they have not been buried,” he alleged.

Abeng stressed that troops maintain a heavy presence in the village, with rotating patrols during the day and night.

He further alleged that some soldiers were complicit in illegal mining, accusing them of seizing precious stones, such as ore, from miners, many of whom he claimed were from northern Nigeria.

However, in a statement issued by the Army on March 12, 2026, the assistant director, Army Public Relations, 13 Brigade, Major Yemi Sokoya, described the deployment as a stabilisation measure.

He said troops were later ambushed by unidentified gunmen after leaving the area, forcing them to respond.

“During the engagement, troops neutralised four of the armed attackers, while several others escaped,” Sokoya stated, maintaining that the show of force by the military had helped to calm tensions and restore normalcy in the community.

The crisis reportedly began on March 11 after a miner, identified as Ibrahim Musa, was allegedly assaulted by youths at a checkpoint, where his minerals were also seized.

Sources said the miner reported the incident to soldiers at the 245 Battalion near Ochon, prompting troops to move into the area to arrest suspects.

Tensions escalated when other youths blocked access roads and confronted the soldiers, leading to an exchange of gunfire in which several persons were injured.

The situation worsened after two soldiers were reportedly killed in the clash, triggering the deployment of additional troops to the community. However, the Nigerian Army said its presence in Odonget was to restore order.

Confirming the incident, the chairman of Obubra local government area, Mr Kingsley Arikpo, said even he who is supposed to be the chief security officer of the local government area cannot access the Odonget community on his own due to the tension in the area.

“I only managed to enter the troubled community a couple of days ago because I followed the state security adviser who happened to be a retired army officer,” he said.