THE inferno at the Mammy market area of the 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt Army Barracks continued for the second day yesterday with the army authority issuing a shoot-on-sight order to its men to fire at any civilian caught setting his or her apartment ablaze before moving out.
As at noon yesterday, fire fighters were seen still battling to quench the fire. It was a sorrowful sight yesterday as words filtered in that a family of fifteen who left for their Akwa Ibom home town perished in an auto crash on their way.
Most of the residents blamed their woes on Governor Peter Odili. They said if he had not complained to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Martin Agwai when he visited that civilians living in the barracks were too many they may not have been asked to go.
Some of the residents who could not raise money for vehicles to move their things out of the school field in the barracks where they took them to on Sunday ahead of yesterday�s deadline had their things drenched by the heavy downpour last night. They said they moved to the place with the hope that relations they got in touch with would come to their aid the next day.
Men of the State branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society as at press time were already meeting with the army authorities in the barracks to see how the internally displaced persons could be rehabilitated. The State Secretary, Mr. Napoleon Hezekiah, told Vanguard that some of the displaced residents said they had nowhere in particular to move to.
Vangurad had in an interview session with the army PRO, Major Sagir Musa on the whole episode
Question: Is it true that the quit notice came because of calls from top politicians that the army should reduce the number of civilians in the barracks after a car explosion?
It is not true. Once something is against military tradition whoever is the Commander must right the wrong. That is the step the Brigade Commander, Brig Gen Salihu is taking, to see that he rights the wrongs made by others. Civilians are not supposed to live in the Mammy market. They are to come do business and go.
Is it true that the Commander has been transferred?
No. He is still the Commander.
They say the army deceived them to buy plots and build permanent structures…
(Cuts in) From my professional background, it is not true that they sold plots to them to build. Because you can’t sell government property. Secondly, this Commander is just one year old here. So, he can’t be the one that sold land to them if there was anything like that .
Is it true that you have issued a shoot-on-sight order to your men?
Two Brigade is not a thief. We are very religiously sound and morally conscious. We can’t give that kind of order. We told them to take what ever they will need to make them comfortable. They can come back to use the place as market. But they will resume 7 and close 9:30 in the evening. Again, we did not issue a shoot-on-sight order.