House of Reps warns Military to stop invasion on Bayels state..

The Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, has been directed by members of the House of Representatives, to put a halt to the ongoing military invasion in Bayelsa state. The lawmakers also directed Olonishakin to stop the attack on innocent civilians residing in the Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa. The lower legislative house gave the directive on Thursday July 20, following the adoption of a motion by Hon. Frederick Agbedi (PDP-Bayelsa), New Telegraph reports. The motion,“Military incursion into Letugbene community and others in Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state’’, was made under issues of national importance. According to Agbedi, the administration of the late Umaru Yar’Adua had commissioned a Joint Military Task Force which was then stationed in the Niger Delta region to protect oil installations, following incidents of pipeline vandalism. On July 12 however,

a joint military checkpoint in Ogbobagbene community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State was attacked by some unknown persons, leading to the death of a soldier. Arms and ammunition were also carted away by the miscreants. As a result of the criminal act, the community was invaded by the Joint Task Force. Houses were set ablaze while residents of the community- including women and children- were beaten severely. He stated: “The incident resulted in the indigenes running away into the forest for safety. “Up till this very moment, the whereabouts of one Mr. Abraham Ajasco, Mrs. Rebecca Warenumu and her eight months baby are still unknown. “I am convinced that there is an urgent need for the prompt and immediate cessation of the actions of the Military Joint Task Force in Letugbene and any other community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to avert further loss of lives and property. “I am further convinced that a globally respected armed forces such as the Nigerian Armed Forces, cannot afford to exhibit such uncivilized acts even in the face of the provocative and mindless killing of a member of the Nigerian Army. “Rather, the military high command should have engaged their efficient defense intelligence agencies to conduct thorough investigation and apply surgical precision raids to bring these miscreants to justice. “Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) creates the Nigerian Armed Forces for the purpose of defending Nigeria from external aggression and maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air.’’ Following a voice vote by the deputy speaker Hon. Sulaimon Yussuff Lasun, who presided over the session, the motion was unanimously adopted by members of the house. The lawmakers also observed a minute of silence for the dead. Meanwhile, TTB had previously reported that the crackdown on militants by the Army in the Niger Delta region intensified after armed soldiers invaded three communities in Bayelsa state. The communities where the military raid was carried include; Peremabiri, Akamabugo and Tikogbene in southern Ijaw Local Government Council Area. The military offensive was part of special Operation Crocodile Smile which was carried out by the army against insurgents in the oil rich Niger Delta region.