Lawmakers condemn military invasion of Ajagbene Community in Bayelsa

                 By Our correspondent

Bayelsa State House of Assembly in its plenary session on Friday unanimously passed two point resolutions condemning in strong terms what it described as deliberate invasion of Ajagbene community in Ekeremor local government area of the state by the Nigerian military.

The House in its resolution also condemned the killings of two soldiers securing Oil Company’s installation in the vicinity by unknown gun men.

Ajagbene community

It called on the State and National Emergency Management Agencies (NEMA) and other relevant organizations to send relief materials to the community to alleviate the untold hardship posed to the people as a result of the incident.

The resolution was sequel to a motion moved by the member representing Ekeremor Constituency 3 in the State House of Assembly, Hon Michael Ogbere under matters of urgent public importance.

Moving the motion at the floor of the House, Hon Ogbere said 75 percent of the community has been raze down by the military arising from the killing of two soldiers securing oil installation in the area by unknown gun men.

Hon Michael Ogbere  

The lawmaker, who condemned the killing of the two soldiers by the hoodlums, described the invasion and burning down of the community as deliberate and uncalled for.

He stated emphatically that the military would have embarked on thorough investigation to ascertain the culprits and brought them to book instead of hurriedly invading the community, destroying property and rendering the helpless innocent citizen of the community  homeless as well as inflicted them with untold hardship occasioned with numerous hazards posed to them.

Ajagbene community 

He lamented that the inhabitants of the community are currently living in the homeless forest in the water owing to the continuous harassment by the military.

Ogbere pleaded with his colleagues to join him to condemn the act which he described as illegal and oppressive.

Speaking in favour of the motion, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly and member representing Brass Constituency 3, Hon. Abraham Ingobere also condemned the attack describing the swift action taken by the Nigerian Military as premature, ill-motivated and deliberate.

According to the lawmaker the Nigerian Military supposed to hold the culprits responsible instead to go and destroyed the community living by peaceful indigenes, considering the insecurity situation of the country that every law abiding citizen is looking upon God and security agencies saddled with the responsibility to safeguard lives and property.

He maintained categorically that nobody would support the killing of soldiers by hoodlums or unknown gun men; and wondered why the military would transfer their aggression to the invasion of a community, describing the attack as sad and unacceptable.

Reaffirming his assertion  on the attack, the lawmaker gave an instances of the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency in North East where several person’s lives was claimed, the army did not transfer their aggression on the people. He wondered why Ajagbene have been razed down by the military.

Also, speaking in support of the motion, the Majority Leader of the House and member representing Southern Ijaw Constituency II, Hon. Monday Edwin Obolo Bubou said that there are rules for engagement.

He noted that criminals are everywhere, stressing that when such incident have occurred the culprit must be brought to book instead to transfer anger to the innocent law abiding citizens.

The lawmaker called on the federal government to rebuild the community in order to provide the homeless people where to live.

The female lawmaker and the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Ebiuwou Koku Obiyai cautions the military to stop destructive tendencies and face realities, noting that women and children were suffering as a result of the attacked.

Others who spoke in favour of the motion included Hon Oforgi Oboku, Hon Wilson Ayakpo and Tare Porri, also condemned the act noting that the fate of the people were not known, and warned against continue violation  of the fundamental human rights of the people.

They averred that nobody could ascertain the culprits whether they came from the neighbouring states as Ajagbene was the boundary between Bayelsa and other states.

In his comment, the speaker of the House, Rt. Honourable Tonye Emmanuel Isenah while condemning the act in both side, said “we don’t support crime, criminality, cultism and hooliganism”.

He said the mindless invasion and destruction of community by the military was inhuman.