An Ijaw community leader has urged the military to prioritize the protection of innocent residents during their search for the perpetrators behind the attack that claimed the lives of 16 soldiers in Okuama, Delta State.
Ayebatari Easterday, hailing from Igbomotoru in Southern Ijaw LGA, voiced his concerns during an interview in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
He emphasized the need for thorough investigations by security agents before taking actions that could potentially harm innocent individuals.
Easterday also raised allegations of civilian casualties within the community amid the military’s crackdown on suspected hideouts of the assailants, who are believed to have fled to Bayelsa State.
As a former councillor representing the community, he called for a cautious approach to avoid further loss of innocent lives in the pursuit of justice.
According to him, economic activities in Igbomotoru, a coastline community along the bank of the River Nun, have reduced due to the activities of the military.
Some of the youths in the society, he said, had fled to neighbouring communities.
Similarly, a former member of the House of Representatives, Henry Daniel-Ofongo, and a member representing Igbomotoru in the Southern Ijaw LGA Caretaker Committee, Solomon Suobo, unanimously called for caution.
They urged the military to abide by the rule of engagement guiding their operations.
The soldiers, they said, should conduct themselves in a manner that would not make the innocent continue to bear the brunt of evil acts committed by others.
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