Posted by By Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa on
A bloody face-off now looms in the Niger Delta region as illegal operators of refineries in the creeks, masquerading as freedom fighter, are warming up to do battle with the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) for invading Agge community in the Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
A bloody face-off now looms in the Niger Delta region as illegal operators of refineries in the creeks, masquerading as freedom fighter, are warming up to do battle with the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) for invading Agge community in the Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
Sources close to the community said armed youths who were beneficiaries of the illegal oil operation, drawn from different locations in the creeks, were moving gun boats and other sophisticated weapons to neighbouring communities around Agge to forestall an invasion by the JTF.
According to sources, the invasion of Agge, which resulted in the burning of a part of the community, provoked the youths to vow to fight back, if the military moved to invade another community in search of those who attacked them when they attempted to close down operation of the illegal refineries.
At the Bomadi Waterside, movements to Agge and neighbouring communities have been stopped as boat drivers, unsure when the tense situation would snap, have refused to go to the area.
Their fears, and of the fear of the people living in the areas, heightened over reports that the JTF, to avoid confrontation had started withdrawing its men from the area.
However, Commander of the JTF in Bayelsa State, Lt. Col Chris Musa, said the military would not leave the area for criminals to reign.
Musa who denied that the JTF was withdrawing troops said that withdrawing would amount to being weak, which, he said, the Nigeria military was not, as it was prepared to protect the region against criminal activities.
He explained that some inhabitants of the community who were tired of the criminal activities of some of the youths were cooperating with the JTF to root out the criminals.
Musa who disclosed that the three boats impounded by his men had been moved to the JTF headquarters in Warri assured that the era of criminality would soon be over in the region.