By Azu Akanwa
The Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, has described the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, operation in Ayakoromo and its environ in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State as lawless and outright terrorism against innocent Ijaw women and children.

The group in a statement  by Andrew Elijah, Chief of Staff to IMG, on behalf of Mr Joseph Evah, said the JTF operations in recent times were not targeted at militants but against peace loving Ijaw natives in Ayakoromo and villages around. It added that for JTF to mobilise all the armed forces to bombard innocent villages in the name of looking for a few  militants, clearly shows that JTF was only playing to the gallery to convince the oil companies and other sponsors to retain them in the region.

“We want the world to ask the JTF how arms returned to militants and how these few young men regrouped after accepting amnesty without the knowledge of security operatives. What is the work of lntelligence branch of JTF? Are Ijaw villagers suffering like the Iraqis because JTF wants to prove the point why the Federal Government and oil companies are destroying our homeland?”

The group urged the United Nations to investigate JTF operations to know the number of innocent people killed and property destroyed.

It also called the world body to order JTF to stop further genocide in the Ayakoromo area.
“We have not seen military men sacking comunities along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway because of criminal activities of few individuals,” the group added.