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Bille Deserted As Army Invades Community …IYC, Others Condemn Action
Tuoma and Oruoma communities in Bille Kingdom, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, have been deserted following the alleged invasion of the communities by members of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).
Consequently, the communities have called on the Rivers State Government to intervene to save the people from total extermination.
Speaking with The Tide, last Monday, the Secretary of Tuoma Community, Opiriyagbo Oferi Isaac said that, at least, 20 buildings in the community were razed by the JTF during the operation.
Isaac appealed to the Rivers State Government and the Army High Command to intervene and save the people of the community.
“The Nigerian Army invaded my community and also set ablaze some buildings following sporadic gun shots. There were a lot of casualties; some of them are still missing in the bush. Some have been taken to the nearby hospital in Bille for first aid treatment.
“The leadership of the community has not been told the reason for the invasion. We are now calling on the state government and the Army authorities, in charge of the JTF to call them to order and also to free the sea route for the Bille people and their satellite communities,” Isaac appealed.
In his reaction, the Chairman, Bille Kingdom Community Development Committee, Asatubo Igbanibo Kemuel, said that the soldiers impounded seven passenger boats plying the Bille waterways for about nine hours.
Kemuel confirmed that one person sustained several bullet injuries while others had fled the community to unknown locations.
“The soldiers came in several gunboats and other speedboats numbering about eight and raided Touma community, burning down houses and destroying a lot of property worth several millions of Naira.
“Residents of Touma community were forced to flee for safety, and at present, many persons are reported missing.
“One person, Mr Profit Joseph, a resident of Touma community, sustained severe injuries as a result of gunshots by the Army,” Kemuel said.
However, in a statement jointly signed by the President, Bille Kingdom Youth Council, Obirabi Sylvanus and the CDC Chairman, Asatubo Kemuel, the community lamented that the action of the soldiers may not be unconnected with last week’s attack on an Army House Boat by yet-to-be-identified persons.
The Tide investigation revealed that residents of both communities, most of whom are fisher folks, have since the military operation, been denied access to their only sources of livelihood, thereby triggering untold hardship and starvation in the communities.
Some of the people, who were scheduled to travel to Port Harcourt for one business transaction or the other, were also denied the opportunity to meet their desired needs, thereby making it impossible for them to realise their dreams of achieving economic prosperity and empowerment.
Meanwhile, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has condemned the JTF invasion of Tuoma and Oruoma communities in Degema LGA, saying that the suspected reprisal attacks were unnecessary.
In its reaction to the attacks, National Treasurer, IYC, Luckyman Agiela, said that several people have been displaced and others missing since last Monday when the soldiers invaded the two communities and shot sporadically.
“As I am talking to you now, some persons are still in the bush, a lot of people are still missing. Yesterday, movement along the Bille waterways was suspended. They did not allow any boat to and from Bille for the whole day.
“As a result, economic activities were shut down. They left Tuoma community and went to Oruoma community, and did the same thing,” Agiela noted.
However, in his remarks, the spokesperson, IYC Worldwide, Daniel Dasimaka, condemned the action of the militants who had earlier attacked the military personnel in the area.
“IYC as the national body, we want to condemn, in its totality, the attack on the military by hoodlums. We understand that they attacked the House Boat belonging to JTF, carted away some arms and killed some military personnel. We cannot take side evil and criminality, so, we condemn the action of the militants, and call on the security agencies to ensure that the culprits are arrested and brought to book.
“We also condemn this act of the military. We expected the military to act professionally instead of displaying acts that suggest they are also militants,” Dasimaka added.
The Nigerian Army, while confirming the Army operation in Tuoma and Oruoma in Bille Kingdom, urged the public to avoid attacking soldiers deployed to protect innocent citizens.
The Army’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Aliyu Iliasu, condemned the allegation of military invasion of the communities, saying that the soldiers were in the communities on official security operations to checkmate any untoward acts by hoodlums in the area.
The Army spokesman, however, said he would give details of the alleged operations in Tuoma and Oruoma communities, and cautioned people against mistaking military operations as acts of invasion.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.