Angry soldiers raze buildings over colleagues’ death in Abia community

Soldiers attached to the 144 Battalion, Asa, Ukwa West council, Abia State, reports say, have razed buildings in Owaza community in the state over the death of their colleagues.

Nigerian soldiers have often been accused of burning houses of communities anytime their colleagues are killed within the communities.

Last year in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area, and Awomama, Oru East Local Government Area, all in Imo State,soldiers also reportedly houses of the people over the death of their colleagues.

Owaza community, which is the latest to suffer similar alleged reprisal attack by soldiers, is a boundary community between Abia and Rivers states.

According to a Vanguard report, sources said that gunmen, suspected to be oil thieves, killed two soldiers at a location between Owaza and Obibor communities and escaped with their rifles. They were also said to have burnt the soldiers’ patrol van.

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The sources attributed the clash between the soldiers and the gunmen to the ban on oil bunkering in Rivers State with the latter unable to operate through the Owaza community due to soldiers guarding the area of the pipelines.

The sources told the newspaper, “We heard the problem with the soldiers had to do with the oil bunkering. The ban on oil bunkering in Rivers State has affected the oil thieves; they are not comfortable with the soldiers at the Owaza-Obibor road. They attacked the soldiers and killed two of them while others fled.

“It was in retaliation that the soldiers laid siege to Owaza and burnt houses in the community. After burning houses in Owaza, the soldiers took over Owaza and all the neighbouring areas of Obuzor Asa, Umudobia to Obehie, Uzuaku, Okohia to Owaza. The people of Owaza have been made to suffer because of what they don’t know.“

Aggrieved following the killing of their colleagues, the soldiers were said to have stormed the community and set fire to houses, shops and any structure on sight.

It was learnt that the development caused the residents to flee the area with some of them relocating to places like Obehie, Imo Gate, Ugwunago, even before the arrival of the rampaging soldiers.

At press time of filing this report, the community was still deserted as the residents had abandoned their homes for fear of victimization.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Prince Omale, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident. However, a military official in the state said investigation has commenced into the incident.

Meanwhile, Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, is said to have waded into the issue and have called for calm.

This is as the governor has convened a meeting of stakeholders from the Ukwa West LGA and urged parties to give peace a chance and allow the state government to resolve the matter.