We have lost over 2,000 persons – Gbaramatu Kingdom

A prominent leader of the area, Chief Bello Oboko, told Saturday Punch that more than 2,000 indigenes of the various communities in the kingdom had been killed in the past seven days.

Oboko, who held a traditional title of Telemowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, said many communities in the kingdom, including Oporoza, the ancestral headquarters of the clan, Okerenkoko, Kunukunuma, Kokodiagbene and Ibafa had been razed by the rampaging soldiers of the Joint Task Force.

President Umaru Yar‘Adua had ordered a military operation in the area to apprehend some militants suspected to have murdered 12 members of Joint Task Force, including a Lt. Colonelon April 13. Yar‘Adua had ordered that the killers of the military personnel must be found dead or alive.

Consequently, the authorities of JTF on receiving the presidential order from the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike, swung into action by mobilising 15 gunboats, two warships and two jet bombers to overrun the militants‘ camps and comb the Gbaramatu communities.

Already, two militant camps operated by Chief Government Ekpomukpolo, popularly known as Tompolo, have been seized by the federal troop, who also launched premeditated attacks on the communities close to the outlawed militant hideouts.

However, Oboko in the interview with our correspondent said the military operation was ”more than a colossal massacre and genocide, adding that dead bodies counted in the various communities indicated that over 2,000 persons had been killed during the raid in the area by the federal troops.”

He identified the deceased mostly as innocent aged men and women as well as children and women.

He said his 90 year-old mother, who resided in Oporoza was yet to be found, adding that the old woman was partially blind before the invasion of the community last Friday.

Oboko said it was presumed that his mother was among the dead.

According to him, the soldiers first invaded Oporoza on Friday, May 15, when indigenes of the Gbaramatu communities within and outside the country had converged on the community for a festival.

”The military suddenly arrived with jet bombers, warships and many gunboats. They fired shots indiscriminately, throwing bombs and grenades here and there. In the process, many persons were killed.

”The operation later continued in our various communities, particularly, Okerenkoko, Kunukunuma, Kokodiagbene and Ibafa, where they killed many innocent residents under the pretence of searching for some militants and weapons.

”We are still counting the dead bodies but we have over 2,000 persons dead in the communities for now. We have not been allowed access to the bushes and forest to fish out dead bodies by the JTF .

”Many injured persons who managed to escape into the bushes and forests were reported to have died because of lack of medical aid.

”The whole of my clan, we have not seen anybody, including my 90-year old mother, who could not see properly. Many families are looking for their beloved ones in all our communities. It is likely that casualty rate would escalate.

”Our losses also included various communities that have been burnt. Many choice buildings in the communities were razed and looted by the soldiers.

”We still have a situation in which soldiers went after innocent persons who were injured and being treated in the hospitals. The medical personnel were forced to abandon the patients, especially in Okerenkoko where they were accused of treating militants.”

Oboko also spoke on the wanted Tompolo, adding that contrary to the position of the military and the Federal government that the notable militant was a peace ambassador of the Federal and Delta State governments as well as oil majors in the creeks and waterways of the Niger Delta.

He said, ”The Federal and Delta State governments as well as JTF and the oil companies have used the same Tompolo to cleanse the waterways. He is an agent of peace, who has helped them in arresting sea pirates and criminals along the waterways. He (Tompolo) was instrumental to the arrest of one John Kpoko, who was disturbing the peace along the waterways. He did that on the prompting of the governments and their agencies.

”They have used Gbaramatu people to cleanse the waterways many times. The same Tompolo they have declared wanted is the kingpin of the Delta Waterways Security Committee which has helped the government of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to achieve peace in the state.

Oboko said, ”The way forward is for us to go back to the peace process initiated by Governor Uduaghan. Reconciliation is a process and we must revert to dialogue.”

The JTF Commander, Bello, also admitted in an interview with Saturday Punch that many people had lost their lives in the operation, adding that he was not aware if innocent persons were involved.

Bello said he could not determine the actual casualty figure.

He said,”I can confirm that many have died but they are so called militants and criminals who engaged our personnel in gun duel. If an innocent person find his way into Iroko Camp and Camp 5, which we attack, I wish such a person the best of luck. No innocent person will be targeted in this operation because we are building data and sorting out data.

”We did not kill anybody in the communities. We only carried out cordon and search operation for arms and militants in the communities.”

However, fresh fears gripped coastal communities in Niger Delta on Friday following reports that the JTF was planning to raid parts of Bayelsa and Ondo States in search of the fleeing militants and arms and ammunition in wrong hands.

Many residents of the coastal communities were said to be fleeing the areas in droves.

Meanwhile, Saturday Punch gathered that epidemics loomed in the Niger Delta on Friday following the failure of the families and the authorities to bury the dead in the crisis.

Findings by Saturday Punch showed offensive odours from decomposing bodies emanated from the Gbaramatu communities.

It was feared that the development could lead to outbreak of epidemic in the locality.

Meanwhile, the International Community of Red Cross visited Bello on Thursday to discuss the plights of the displaced persons, especially the injured in the war zones.

It was gathered that the team pleaded with Bello to allow access to the restive coastal areas to pave way for the evacuation of the injured for treatment.

Bello confirmed the meeting with the body, adding that they had useful discussions on the way forward.