https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0TnqgDlKug

The House of Representatives has condemned the alleged invasion and destruction of property in communities of Bayelsa State by the military, asking the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Gabriel Olonisakin, to order soldiers out of the affected areas.

The House made the call at the plenary on Thursday following the adoption of a motion moved by members of the Bayelsa State caucus.

The motion was entitled, ‘Urgent Need to Stop the Regular Invasion and Destruction of Communities in Bayelsa State by the Nigerian Military.’

Adopting the motion, the House urged the Chief of Defence Staff to “order the immediate halt and further invasion and destruction of communities in Bayelsa State in whatever guise.”

The House also mandated its Committee on Defence to “investigate these actions by the military” and report back to the House within six weeks for further legislative action.

The lawmakers cited the roles of the Armed Forces as prescribed by Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution.

The lawmakers recalled that due to pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration commissioned a Joint Military Task Force known as Operation Pulo Shield, which was stationed to protect oil installations, personnel and curb the menace of pipeline vandalism in the region. According to them, this has continued in dealing with militancy, kidnapping sea piracy and other security issues.

However, the sponsors said, “Recently, there was a military operation near Foropa in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State. This has further heightened the fear of the people of the community with the information that the military will return to burn down the community as has been done to several communities in Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta region in general, some of such communities being Odi, Ezetu, Letugbene, Agge, Bilabiri l and 2, Azagbene, etc.

“The House is informed that the invasion and destruction of a community is now the pattern adopted by the Nigerian Military in Bayelsa State whenever indigenes from these communities are suspected to have carried out any act against oil installations. It puts the innocent and law-abiding citizens of the area in double jeopardy, as they suffer attacks from the same unguided elements who rob and terrorise people and reprisal attacks from our tax-funded military. This is devastating enough for people who are Citizens of this country.

“The House is convinced that a globally respected Armed Force such as the Nigerian military cannot afford to exhibit such uncivilised acts even in the face of provocative acts of citizens who they are supposed to protect. Rather, the military should engage their very efficient intelligence agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and apply surgical precision raids to bring these miscreants to justice, as we are fully in support of such.

“The House is worried that if this pattern now adopted by the Nigerian military in Bayelsa State is not immediately stopped, the map and population of the state will be greatly reduced in the near future, if not wiped out.”


SOURCE: https://punchng.com/reps-probe-soldiers-invasion-destruction-of-bayelsa-communities/

I wish that same approach used in handling crisis in the South-South, South-East and South-West is used to handle terrorising Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram, the security challenges in this country would have been decimated to the barest minimal. Unfortunately, it is the defenseless civilians who have been economically raped over the years to build other parts of the country that are still oppressed. Until what is now taking place in the USA takes place in Nigeria, some changes may never be effected.