By Akpokona Omafuaire, UGHELLI
The people of Orere community of Ewu Kingdom, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, have raised the alarm over the invasion of their community and torture meted out to them by soldiers in search of weapons and escaping refugees from Okuama community.
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According to a local boat transporter in the community, Mr. Adjoka Morrison, “I was at the riverside preparing for my daily business, when I saw the Nigerian Army with five gunboats and four Hilux loaded with soldiers.
“They held and bundled me into one of the gunboats and took me to the other river bank. As they were taking me into the community, they were shooting sporadically.
“They messed up so many of us. One of them punched my right eye.”
Community chairman
Narrating his ordeal, Orere community Chairman, Mr. Michael Edameneri said, “We woke up to hear sound of gun shots at the waterside of our community and I saw both old and the young running and scampering for safety.
“As the community Chairman, when I came out, I saw multitudes of the Nigerian Army entering the community from different direction and I introduced myself to them and they took me to the town hall.
“Before we got there, they have assembled almost everyone for interrogation, our former Chairman, Mr Ighoteguono was injured in his head with their gun butt.
“They separated me from others as they started interrogating me, they asked me to take them to where we keep our guns, I told them we do have any guns except for our local vigilantes.
“They were interrogating me at gun point and they were also having me videoed, and a drone with the treat to kill me if I should lie to them, but I insisted that we do not have any gun or refugees in the community.Related NewsKilling of soldiers: Set example with perpetrators – S’East group urges FGGaza/Israel: We can no longer allow a child to die – Akpabio9-yr-old boy dies in Onitsha bridge accident – FRSC
“One of the army told me point blank that our people have been killing their colleagues at the riverside and they are ready to kill anyone.
“While interrogation was going on, one of the Army used a key to open a room store at the town hall in search for what I could not explain.They went to my compound and destroyed doors, busted many houses in Orere, but they did not find anything.
“They also asked me to agree that the community should be burnt down because we are hiding people from them or they will take me along with them.
“They took me to the entrance of the our community, where the shrine is situated, they destroyed and desecrated the entire place in search of guns and people.
“We are calling on the state and federal government to come our aid because we a peace loving community, we are not harbouring any one here in Orere neither do we have guns.” He added.
The Vigilante unit Chairman in Orere community, Mr Udoji Sylvester said, “When I heard the gunshots, I came out from my house to inquire only for me to see soldiers everywhere and upon my inquiry to know what was happening, they shouted me down and ordered me to follow them to our town hall.
“On getting there, all the men, youths and women were made to lie down and i saw some of the soldiers brutalizing them and I told them that, we are a peaceful community and as vigilante, we maintain peace at all times.
“Before I could finish speaking, slaps were just coming like a common criminal and I had a torn lip, they sized and made away with 12 of our vigilante local guns with inscriptions of Ughelli South Vigilante on them.”
The President General of Orere community, Mr. Dennis Edafeamredje said, “My people called me that they were under siege by the Nigerian Army and from what I was told, the military men that came through land and water were over 200.
“They were shooting sporadically and that brought the fear into the mind of our people and many ran into the bush and up till this moment, some parents are still looking for their children.
“The scene was a traumatizing one, because they have not experienced any thing of this nature before now. They were demanding from the community chairman those that ran from Okuama to Orere community
“The distance from Orere to Okuama Community in nearly 50km and Orere is not in any way close and there is nothing that connect us to Okuama in any way.
“Even if they are investigating what transpired in Okuama, the way and manner the Nigerian Army are going about is not right.
“I held on the news when Mr President orders for full scale investigation and if the Nigerian Army is going on full scale investigation and they are killing the everybody around, I don’t think they are investigating anything rather they are using fuel to put off the fire that is already burning.
“I want to beg the president, the Nigerian Army and Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and other relevant authorities to let them know that Orere has no hand in whatever that is happening.
“They have come, they have searched and they did not find any thing incriminating or implicating, so whatever they took from here, should be returned and they should not come back to Orere again because it is a traumatizing scene for our people because we speak, people are still missing.”