Bikumor community cries out over alleged soldiers maltreatment

By Loveth Ojogun

The people of Bikumor Community, a fishing settlement, which is located in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, have lamented over alleged military unbecoming against them. This has led the people finding it difficult to perform their fishing activities freely in the area.

According to one of the Community executives, Mr Lucky Ase, who spoke to Gbaramatu voice, “The harassment of the people of the community by the military has been going on for over two weeks now and the people are not finding it easy as it has affected their activities on daily basis”.

He further stated “A woman who came from a nearby community for fishing was beaten up mercilessly by same people. The Navy usually come to the town, shoots at will, destroys property and set them ablaze without any reason.

“We do not know what they are looking for. As a community, we were existing before the oil companies, so if they are looking for people, they should go and identify them but not come and kill innocent people”.

Ase said the last time they visited at night, they shot and beat up people which resulted to the injury of one visitor in the community.

The community youth president, Mr. Peres Afro Oyakongha on the other hand said, “What the military is doing to them is becoming unbearable as they broke into houses, collecting money and some other valuables from the residents, destroy people Motor-Saw. Set them ablaze.

“Creating fear in the community is getting out of control. We are helpless. He therefore appealed to the government to assist them put a stop to the harassment and molestation on the indigenes”.