The Invasion And Raze Down Of AZAGBENE Community In BAYELSA By The Nigerian Army; A Transfer Of Aggression Over The Gruesome Killings Of 25 Soldiers In Borno State, By Boko Haram Terrorists.
…The Act Is Barbaric & Highly Condemnable
The social media space have been inundated with pictures of how the Nigerian Army invaded Azagbene Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area or Bayelsa State, in the early hour of today Tuesday 23rd 2019, and razed down the entire community to revenge the death of two of their officers allegedly killed by suspected criminals in the area. The invasion and subsequent destruction of houses and belongings in the community have since rendered supposed innocent Ijaw people in Bayelsa State homeless and frustrated.
While I totally condemned the killings of military personnel by anyone in the creeks of Niger Delta or deserts of the northern hemisphere, the reprisal attack that left innocent Nigerians homeless and frustrated is totally barbaric, unprofessional and highly condemnable. For me, the raze down of the Azagbene community is nothing less a transfer of aggression over the killings of 25 soldiers by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state recently.
Despite the incessant killings of military personnel and law-abiding Nigerians by Boko Haram terrorists, it’s yet to be recorded that the Nigerian Army have set an entire community ablaze to revenge such gruesome killings in the north. Unfortunately Ijaw communities have set ablaze during reprisal attacks by the military. It shows how bias the Nigerian military have operated in the Niger Delta.
And if setting ablaze an entire community is indeed the solution to end crime and criminality in Nigeria, by now no building should have been standing in northern communities where soldiers and other Nigerians are incessantly killed like cows by Boko Haram insurgents. If burning down an entire community is the way to end banditry, by now trees should not be standing in the Sambisa Forest where heights of killings have been recorded over the years.
The Nigerian Army must be professional in their operation in the Niger Delta. The Nigerian army should device more professional ways to apprehend criminals in Nigeria. The military must desist from acts capable of making life difficult and frustrating for Nigerians. I implore the military to collaborate with community leaders and stakeholders to adopt better ways they can address criminality in Nigeria. Every sociopath comes from a family; rather than destroying properties of innocent Nigerians, families and communities leaders should be engaged to have a crime free society.
Clement Ovokeroye Paul is the Chief Executive Officer of Bight News
