By Emma Amaize
WARRI — THE people of Ayakoromor community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State have protested Wednesday’s bombardment and burning of their community by men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger Delta, but the task force continued with its operation, yesterday, vowing that it would smoke out John Togo wherever he is hibernating.

More persons reportedly lost their lives in the renewed offensive, yesterday. Among the casualties were a community leader, Jacob Mokor; 55-year-old Onitsha Kitua; a secondary school teacher, Bonny Mekuruno, a teenager identified as Benji, Nonaverhue Kalana, who escaped from his house when it was set ablaze and allegedly fired when he rushed out and Oyabrede. A music maestro whose name was given as Borere and Samuel Rubber were among the wounded.

By Emma Amaize
A villager told Vanguard, yesterday: ”All the houses in the waterfront were razed to the ground by soldiers and yesterday morning when the soldiers came again, some people who were still bleeding from the injuries sustained from Wednesday’s attack were killed.”

Vice President of the Ayokoromor Federated Communities, Elder Bernard Brialade, Ayokoromor Urban chairman, Chief Albert Doutimiyebo and other leaders, who addressed newsmen on the recent development appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to restrain the task force from killing innocent civilians.

Both media coordinator of the task force, Lt. Col Timothy Antigha declined to own up to any killing and arson by the task force when contacted, saying the JTF took over two militant camps, belonging to John Togo earlier on Wednesday and continued with its operation yesterday.

He said the task force had earlier warned those residing near militant camps to vacate the areas, adding that people in camouflage army uniforms who were shooting at military aircrafts and soldiers could not have been civilians as claimed.

However, Ogodobiri, Obotebe and other neighboring villages to Ayokoromor, which were horror-struck by the destruction carried out by the task force in Ayokoromor have also called on the task force not to attack the people.

Elder  Brialade and Chief  Doutimiyebo said Ayokoromor people were shocked because the leaders of the community showed the task force the exact location of John Togo’s abandoned camp, which is about three kilometres from the town, yet, they bombarded innocent citizens under the guise of looking for Togo.

“If men of the JTF who are armed to tooth can’t capture John Togo, who are we to do that. As at present, many of our people are displaced and are in the mangrove forest wallowing without direction. That is why we are calling on the Federal Government to call the JTF to stop further attacks on the community because at present over 60 persons have lost their lives and about 40 houses razed down”, they said.

Reports from Ayakoromor said many people were still trapped in the forest and may die if they were not urgently rescued and given proper medical attention.

However, JTF spokesman said the task force did not attack any community as had been speculated, saying the soldiers only took over militant camps and were in search of John Togo, whose photographs were everywhere and would not be mistaken for villagers.

The councilor representing Ogodobiri  community in Bomadi local government legislature, Hon. Geofrey Dibofa told Vanguard on phone, yesterday, that information  available to him indicated that the JTF was planning to attack the community and called on the commander of the task force, Brigadier_General Charles Omoregie to restrict his soldiers to John_Togo and his NDLF fighters.

The paramount ruler of Obotebe Kingdom, HRM, S. O Akenotubo, the Ebenanaowei of Obotebe kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta state also  appealed to the JTF to exclude Obotebe from the ongoing feud with John Togo, saying the his town had  nothing to do with habouring of militants.

The royal father, who made the appeal, Thursday at his Warri residence, said the appeal was necessitated by the rumor making the round that the JTF would storm Obotebe soon to fetch out indigenes of Ayakoromor that had fled their for safety.

“Obotebe is a peace loving kingdom and our people are scared of a perceived JTF invasion which might lead to death of innocent indigenes. The appeal is also necessary because we share a common boundary with Ayakoromor and innocent people who are afraid of the gun duel took refuge in Obotebe and it is now been rumored that we are hiding criminals. There is no militant in Obotebe because all the militants have already embraced the ongoing federal government amnesty programme and we are all aware of it,” he said.

The monarch, while condemning the wanton destruction of the community by the JTF appealed to all militants to accept the ongoing Federal Government amnesty programme to enable peace reign in the Niger Delta.