Army storm community to fish out killers of soldiers, recover stolen arms in Rivers

*Residents flee cry for help.

Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt

Soldiers have been carrying out a “cordon and search operation” in a oil rich coastal community of Bille and environs in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

This is sequel to the attack and killing of some of Soldiers by suspected Sea Pirates on Bille waterways carting away their weapons.

According to Eyewitnesses account, said the Soldiers had arrived the Coastal community in gunboats shooting sporadically into the air instilling fear and panic. 

It was gathered that out of panic, landlords and residents deserted their homes. 

“Some military men came with gun boats. They said they were looking for Pirates that attacked their soldiers. We also lost one of our sons from the pirate attack last Friday. On Saturday, they were in a nearby community. Today, Sunday, they invaded the Bille community.

“I am calling from my hideout. Many people have left the community. As I speak to you, they are shooting sporadically in the community and people have fled. The place is empty,” the resident disclosed.

Reacting to the incident, the Spokesperson for the 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Major Iweha Ikedichi, said the soldiers were in the community for a “cordon and search” operation.

He said, “Troops conducted an operation in the general area of Bille and that is in response to the killing of soldiers in and around that community last week.

“The operation is consequent upon that, and targeted at arresting perpetrators and recovering the stolen weapons of the troops that were killed. The operation will continue till the stolen weapons are recovered and following actionable intelligence as we receive.”

Iweha, who did not give the number of the soldiers killed.

Reacting to this development, Chairman Bille Council of Chiefs, Bennett Okpoki, says gunmen suspected to be pirates attacked a Port Harcourt-bound boat on Friday killing one person and leaving several others injured. 

Mr Okpoki made this known during a media briefing with journalists on Tuesday. Okpoki also called on the Nigerian Army to release some youths who were whisked away during a search by the military following an attack on their personnel. 

Okpoki, who called on the federal and state government to urgently curb the frequent Pirates’ activities on Bille waterways, also disassociated the community from any attack on the military over the weekend. 

 The traditional ruler, LN.C Herbert, of Bille who was arrested along with his personal aide, Damiete Alabo, has been released.

The Chairman of the Bille Council of Chiefs, Bennett Okpoki, who lamented the development yesterday, called for urgent Federal Government intervention.

Okpoki said Bille had been at the mercy of Pirates, adding that on Friday a Port Harcourt-bound boat was attacked and one Impaisinba Igani, killed.