Soldiers invade Rivers community, raze several houses over missing guns

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

Nigerian military operatives have invaded the Rumuekpe community in Emohua LGA of Rivers State over missing guns.

Congress gathered that the soldiers had set ablaze several homes, chased residents and arrested some community youths in the state.

It was learned the incident which led to the army invasion started over the weekend at an illegal bunkering site between Rumuekpe and Ndele Community boundaries.

According to a report, four military men came and started harassing youths and collecting money as their share of the business while those who refused to comply had their products impounded and loaded into the vehicle the soldiers came with.

The source said trouble began when one of the illegal bunkering men who is also an OSPAC member was ordered by the soldiers, to load the confiscated illegally-refined petroleum products into their vehicle, when he was tired of doing it alone, the soldiers then punished him by asking him to lie-down and face the sun.

As this punishment doesn’t go well with other OSPAC members, they quickly went to the place to rescue their colleague.

They overpowered the soldiers who ran away leaving two Soldiers behind, who were beaten and their guns allegedly seized before they were set free without their guns.

Another community source said the Soldiers reinforced and stormed the Rumuekpe community making arrests, chasing and arresting wives of suspected youths and burnt houses to recover their arms.