Just the background noise of unceasing violence...
FIVE unidentified youths were yesterday in Warri shot dead by soldiers attached to the Joint Security Task Force, Operation Restore Hope, while attempting to hijack oil barges belonging to the Shell Petroleum Developing Company (SPDC). The dead youth, Vanguard learnt, went in about five speed boats and were armed with sophisticated weapons. Vanguard gathered that the men had successfully anchored on one of the barges before the soldiers opened fire on them only for the invaders to return fire. The fire exchange reportedly lasted two hours and by the time it was over, five were dead. Speaking on the incident, the commander of the task force, Brig. Gen. Elias Zamani, said it was a case of barge robbery resisted by his men stationed around the area. He said: "Some youths or pirates had last night invaded the SPDC jetty at Ogunu in a bid to steal some barges with crude. But two were killed by soldiers in a gun fire exchange."
| Shell seems to be a favored target this weekend... |
At Ododo quarters of Ughoton Community in Okpe local government area, some other youths invaded the area, destroying fishing settlements and farm lands, according to the Chairman of the Ughoton Community Association, Mr. Ben Agbayigholo. He said the invaders came in about six boats through Ododo quarters and attacked a fishing settlement inhabited by Ijaw fishermen. Mr. Agbayigholo told Vanguard that "at about 9p.m. on Tuesday, we were woken by sounds of heavy gun shots, and upon enquiry, I was told some militant youths were shooting their way through Ododo towards the Ijaw settlement in our community." He said the Ododo people were now taking refuge in the Ughoton area. "We want to state that the Ughoton people would not tolerate such invasion again. We are peace-loving people and have never been part of any ethnic hostilities in Warri. We do not want either the Ijaw or the Itsekiri to take Ughoton as a battle ground," he stated. |