Militants kill soldier, 7 others in Iwukem as Army razes community
A soldier and 7 persons were killed while houses and property estimated at N52 million were destroyed weekend in Iwukem community following a midnight attack on residents by militants in Etim Ekpo Council Area.
Eye witness account said the attack which took residents unawares started at 12 midnight when the hoodlums numbering 30 invaded the community with sophisticated weapons and shoot sporadically killing seven members of the community while scores were wounded.
One of the victims Mrs. Helen Fidelis Udoka told Daily Times in Iwukem that while she was fast asleep, the militants set fire on her house before she could wake up, the whole building was engulfed in fire and burnt her two legs as she could not walk.
When Daily Times visited the community, ruins of burnt houses and shops were found around the Iwukem junction where corpses of people who escaped with bullets were recovered and deposited in mortuary while those wounded were admitted at General Hospital, Etim Ekpo for treatment.
In an interview with the village head of Iwukem, Chief Linus Friday Uyo who conducted Daily Times around the scene of the mayhem said property destroyed include, residential houses, electric poles, motorcycles, generating sets, hairdressing salons and palm kernel warehouse.
Others were, Akwa Ibom State Water Board Office at Iwukem junction, Yamaha engines, flat screen television sets, District Court Building and all the motorcycles kept at Okada Park.
At the motor park, spent bullets shells were found littering the whole area.
However, the community has accused the JTF Operatives of compounding their problems as the soldiers vent anger on innocent villagers and burnt their properties.
A Community Leader Obong Idongesit Udoka told Daily Times in Iwukem that after the militants had unleashed terror on the community killing a soldier, the JTF Operatives returned to the area on Sunday in reprisal and destroyed property owned by the villagers.
He further accused the soldiers of rape, stealing and torture describing them as army of occupation that holds the village to ransom in the guise of securing the area.
In a telephone interview, the Army Public Relations Officer, Major Bashir Jajira of 2 Brigade Uyo told Daily Times that he was aware of the claims in Iwukem community. He said “I am not aware. All of us are here at Ibagwa for three days training; your colleagues have made a similar call; I will investigate it”.
But Obong Udoka disagreed with the Army Public Relation Unit maintaining that the army authorities only feigned ignorance just to wave away the massive destruction of property belonging to Iwukem people.
He said a soldier who perpetrated the act used phone numbers 07056471454 and 07085874271 respectively to call him and apologized for the atrocities committed against the good people of Iwukem.
Quote:
“I am not aware. All of us are here at Ibagwa for three days training; your colleagues have made a similar call; I will investigate it”. – Army PRO, Major Bashir Jajira
