…No, we have nothing to do with that – JTF

The Fiyewei (Spokesman) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, has cried out over the purported harassment and intimidation of community indigenes by security operatives who he alleged are members of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).

He appealed to the JTF Commander, Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi, to immediately call his boys to order.

According to Chief Godspower, the JTF team stormed Oporoza, the headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, in the early hours of yesterday and started intimidating the community people who were asked to raise their hands in the air.

At the time of this report, he said some speed boats belonging to some community members have been towed away to an undisclosed location and with no reason given whatsoever for the harassment.

Chief Gbenekama wondered why the mobilisation of armed security men to the traditional headquarters when the kingdom was not at war, stressing that the kingdom has been very peaceful especially with the kickoff of the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) at Okerenkoko.

According to him; “It was just last week that the JTF commander and all sectional commanders paid a courtesy call to the Palace of the Pere of Gbaramatu, HRM Oboro Gbaraun the 11.

“We had a fruitful meeting with all sides vowing to keep the peace in the area. I wonder why two gunboats (with the inscription P376) are now stationed in Oporoza Jetty to intimidate our people,” he said.

He therefore appealed to Rear Admiral Apochi to wade into the matter urgently to save the people of the community who are yet to get over the psychological trauma of the bombardment of the kingdom.

He also called on the acting governor of Delta State, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, “to prevail on the JTF to leave the kingdom in peace, as nothing have actually happened now in Gbaramatu kingdom to warrant this siege on our people.”

However, while reacting to the allegations in a phone conversation with GbaramatuVoice, the Spokesman of the JTF, Major Ibrahim Abdullahi, denied it all, saying that the JTF’s call of duty is to secure the oil facilities in the locality and that duty will be adhered to strictly.

“The JTF has nothing to do with this allegation; we don’t have a deployment in that Oporoza jetty, the nearest houseboat we have is Benikrukru. Our commander few weeks ago went to visit the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom. We have gone to assure the Pere and the people that we are here for them; we are here to protect their properties and safeguard the pipelines that are around the area and protect law abiding citizens; so why would anybody be alleging that we are harassing them” he affirmed.

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