The Edo State Government has frowned on the attack on three soldiers by suspected criminals in Okomu, Ijaw Community, in Ovia South West Local Government Area on Friday.
The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, disclosed this on Sunday when he led journalists to the military hospital in Benin where the soldiers were recuperating.
PUNCH Metro reports that recent attacks in the area had led to the death of three staff members of Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC, one resident and the burning down of houses and several vehicles.
A group which identified itself as Ijaw Freedom Fighters claimed the attack, saying the Ijaw were being marginalised in the state while calling for a local government area among other demands.
The state reacted swiftly and sent security comprising the police and soldiers to the area to repel and halt further attacks on the area.
However, after Friday’s attack which left three soldiers wounded, Nehikhare said the state government had vowed to flush out criminal elements in the state including cultists and Okaighele (youth leaders).
While promising that the government would foot the bills of the wounded military officers, Nehikhare said the attack on the soldiers by civilians in the Okomu community was not unconnected with the nefarious activities of cultists.
Nehikhare, who said the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, condemned the attack on the military personnel, said a task force had been set up by the state government led by the Director of the State Security to combat cult groups in the state.
He said, “It is not right in any way for the military to be attacked in any community in Edo State. A few weeks ago, we were all aware of what happened in our neighbouring Delta State, where over 20 soldiers were killed by some youths.
“In Edo State, we have a bad case of cultism and what we also call Okaigheles in Benin and across Edo South Senatorial District.
“The data available to us provided to the State Security Council indicated that these are the people that are mostly responsible for criminal activities and a threat to the security in the state.
“That is why this group of people was banned, and a task force was set up to look into their activities to neutralise whatever evil plans they have.
“As the governor placed a ban on the Okaigheles (youth leaders), we discovered that some people also went ahead to say they should ignore the government ban.
“There’s only one government at a time, and that emboldened these people to go into the Okomu forest in our community to attack our soldiers, protecting our assets. One of the soldiers is currently in a critical condition. Three officers, an officer, and two soldiers were badly injured.
He continued, “The gunboat they (the soldiers) were in was destroyed and riddled with bullets. This should not happen in Edo State. We don’t want a situation where we will be losing soldiers to reckless attacks from cult groups.
“We plead with our leaders, the leaders of Edo South especially, to rein in their children and these people who have been armed one way or the other because the arms they are using are kept somewhere, they are provided by somebody. Now, they are using them to attack soldiers, not only soldiers but also civilians on the streets of Edo state.
“We have come to quickly visit the wounded officers and the army to plead with them and importantly to let them know we will take care of whatever bill is incurred and to assure them that the Edo State Government will not tolerate this untoward behaviour.
“We don’t want what happened in Odi community in Bayelsa State to happen here in Edo State or a repeat of what happened recently in Delta State,” he said.
He enjoined that all the Edo people, irrespective of political affiliations, should support the government in the ongoing fight against cultism and killings, saying the state had lost 150 people in cult-related violence since January.
“I am here to plead with the army, and we are happy that the army is a very responsible organisation that does not take the law into its own hands. If not, the story would have been different today,” Nehikhare stated.
