By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

WARRI —THE Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta, codenamed, Operation Restore Hope and Ayakoromor community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, counted their losses after two days of bombarding of the community by the JTF in search of wanted militant leader, “General” John Togo.

The task force admitted that six of its soldiers were killed in the operation while the community discovered more corpses of its members.

However, normalcy is expected to return to the community soon, as about 200 villagers who fled into the bush since December 1 when JTF struck returned to the village, weekend, and were kept in a refugee camp in a primary school by security agents. They were said to be hungry, as they had not eaten for some days.

No fewer than 100 policemen have been deployed in the community to maintain peace and order while soldiers have been stationed at the two militant camps, belonging to Togo, which had been overrun by the task force.

JTF admitted after its initial denials of civilian casualties following its bombardment of Ayakoromor community that civilians may have been caught in the crossfire.

The JTF launched an offensive targeting alleged militant leader John Togo last Wednesday. It attacked militant camps near the village of Ayakoromo and dislodged some militants who had sought refuge in villagers’ homes.

The targeted group _ the Niger Delta Liberation Force _ has accused the military of large_scale massacre and rape in the village and surrounding areas, allegations that JTF spokesman, Timothy Antigha, called “completely false,” adding: “It is possible a few civilians were caught in the crossfire.”

A local official said he saw at least 10 villagers’ bodies among the casualties.
The task force released a statement, Saturday, saying “there is no evidence on the ground to justify any claim of genocide against the JTF.”

The statement acknowledged that buildings near the targeted camps became involved in the crossfire when fleeing militants took them over and exchanged gunfire with security forces.

It added: “It is an established practice that civilian accommodation, offices, churches, mosques, hospitals, cultural places, shrines are non-military targets, but if they are used to stage an attack, such civilian accommodation or office automatically lose that immunity and become a military target.”

As many as six soldiers were killed in the operation, Antigha said, and about 100 people were displaced. The operation has been suspended while the military assists affected residents, he said.

Meanwhile the Delta State Government has described the incident as unfortunate. A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Dame (Dr.) Beatrice Ashinedu Omeni said the State Government was closely working with the Federal Government to normalize the situation as well as deal with the refugee problem that has arisen.

The statement further called on all Deltans, especially the people of Ayakoromo and its environs to remain calm and go about their normal businesses.

Govt., JTF send relief materials

The state government also commenced distribution of relief materials to the displaced villagers at Ogbe_Ijoh camp, last Saturday, while a delegation, comprising the House of Assembly member in the Burutu local government area, council chairman and others left with relief materials to the community, yesterday.

Permanent Secretary, Governor’s Office, Warri, Mr. Patrick Origho confirmed to Vanguard that the state government team went with men of the JTF, who also carried their relief materials for the victims.

Our source said the villagers who discovered the decomposing corpses contacted their community leaders in Warri, weekend, and were directed not to show the corpses to security agents so that they would not be forced to bury them.

JTF challenges villagers
Major-General Charles Omoregie had told newsmen at the JTF Barracks in Effurun, near Warri, weekend, that if five or six persons were reported to have been killed, as a result of gun battle between his troops and renegade militants, who opened fire on them as they approached Ayakaromor on December 1, it would be understandable, but to say there was massacre or that about 150 persons were killed was a blatant lie.

He challenged those who said there was massacre in the community to produce evidence of such, adding that the few houses that were burnt were the ones under the high tension wire of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN in the area.

Names of dead persons

He had barely ended his address when a group of concerned indigenes of the community, which is working in collaboration with a non_ governmental organization, NGO, based in Warri, Forum  for Justice and Human Rights Defence, headed by Oghenejabor Ikimi rolled out the names of about 20 persons that were either shot or roasted to death on December 1.

Among them were two Christian leaders, Pastor Timese Gbarakpa of the Assemblies of God Church and Mr. Peter Daubrifade of the Catholic Church, both in Ayokoromor. Also killed were the headmaster of the New Town Primary School, a teacher in the school, Mr. Tolo Egbe and a retired headmaster, Mr. Yeigagha.

Mr. Onitsha Kitua, a resident, Mr. Samson Timise, a labourer, Mr. Terry, a resident, Mr. Yeigagha, a retired headmaster, who was burnt alive in his residence, Mr. Osome Minister, a resident and Mr. Oyabrade Dore, father of Mr. Monday Oyabrade who was also shot and killed by the JTF Operatives.

Others were Adon Kulala, a resident, Mr. Jimmy Aye, a resident, Mrs. Akeme, a resident, Mr. Monday Oyabrade, a resident, Mr. John Preye, a resident, Mr. Ikorutimi Joseph, a resident, Mr. Bomo Solomon, a resident, Mr. Pere Selekumo, a resident and Mr. Timi Imbikiri, a resident

Ikimi who described the JTF’s denial as disquieting said: “We insist that over 150 innocent civilians were either shoot dead or roasted alive from the said bombardments wherein war implements like military aircrafts, gun boats, tanks and others were deployed by the full components of the JTF who were in search of John Togo and his group of militants.”