Fw: Agip destroys Liama town
ERA/FoE N
In Bayelsa, Soldiers Sack Town, Raze 60 Houses
>From John Iwori in Yenagoa
In what appears as a re-enactment of the raid on Odi town in November 1999,
soldiers
have sacked Liama town, also in Bayelsa State, leaving no fewer than 60
houses burnt
down completely.
The attack on Liama in Brass Local Government Area, is the third in the
state in
recent times. The incident has left hundreds of the inhabitants homeless
even as
others have sent a passionate appeal to the Bayelsa State Government to come
to their
aid in form of relief materials.
Speaking in Yenagoa, a spokesman for Liama community, Chief Ikisa Dokubo
Ikisa, said
the soldiers came into the community with sophisticated weapons.
Ikisa also alleged that three youths of the community were shot dead by the
soldiers. His account tallied with the figure of those earlier declared
missing in
the community by the state government.
The community spokesman who sobbed intermittently while narrating their
ordeal, said
that apart from houses destroyed, properties worth millions of naira were
also
vandalised.
Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha had already paid a visit to Liama to
assess the
level of damage in the community even as he called for the immediate
withdrawal of
troops from the area.
Alamieyeseigha also summoned the commandant of the military operations, the
management of the contracting firm as well as Shell to a meeting in his
office at
Government House, Yenagoa.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Chief Lionel Jonathan-Omo in a chat
with
THISDAY confirmed that part of the community was actually razed down by
military men
attached to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) Limited's terminal at Brass
following the seizure of a company boat by youths of Liama.
He blamed the incident on Shell for giving the contract to the oil service
firm
without any input from the state government.
The commissioner stated that the incident would have been avoided if the
relevant
government agencies were involved in the drafting of the memorandum of
understanding
(MOU) between Liama and the oil service firm.
He said most oil companies were operating in the state without the
knowledge of the
state government. He said that it was only when most of these companies ran
into
problems with their host communities that they run to the state government
for help.
Efforts to speak with the authorities at the Nigeria Agip Oil Company
(NAOC) Limited
terminal at Brass proved abortive as at press time.
In 1999, Odi was also razed down by soldiers. Militant youths had killed
some
policemen, who were protesting perceived neglect.
Last year, soldiers sacked Tiv land kiling hundreds in retaliation of the
kiling of
20 soldiers who were part of the peace-keeping mission in the area following
the
outbreak of violence between the Tiv and the Jukun.
Areas affected include Zaki Biam in Ukum Local Government which is widely
acclaimed
as the food basket of Benue State on account of having the largest yam
market.
Thousands of people had to take refuge in Daudu and Ukpam camps.
Buildings belonging to prominent Tiv citizens were razed including that of
former
Army Chief, Gen. Victor Malu by the vengeful soldiers. Three family members
of Gen.
Malu were also killed.
Last month, security agents also attacked Danja community in Katsina in
protest of
the killing of a policeman.
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