Eight killed as militants engage in shootout in Bayelsa

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Armed militants who are regrouping in Bayelsa State struck again on Saturday when they attacked Lobia community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and engaged in a fierce gun battle, killing eight people, including a sibling of an ex-militant leader, Pastor Reuben Wilson.
Southern Ijaw has been identified by intelligence operatives of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, as the breeding ground of the so-called new Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

The new group, which is made up former soldiers in various camps of ex-militant leaders, but headed by a former commander in the Young Shall Grow Camp, has been fingered in the recent killing of 12 policemen.
They have also been linked with the increasing wave of sea robbery and kidnapping along the major waterways in Southern Ijaw.
Based on its intelligence report, the JTF stormed the area recently and clamped down on seven hideouts, seizing some military uniforms, communication gadgets, arms and ammunition.
Sources in Lobia community said five of those killed were youths who had embraced amnesty and have been integrated back into the society.
There are two versions on how the eight people died, with one version saying they were tricked into the creeks while another version said they engaged in a shootout.
A community source said the boys were tricked by some people close to the creeks where they were shot dead by gunmen.
According to the source, it is strongly believed that the alleged killers of the 12 policemen, who had escaped from their hideouts in Azuzuama, were responsible for the latest killing to thwart investigation by the police to trace their whereabouts using repentant militants.
Friends and relatives of the deceased believe that they were deliberately set-up to be killed by the gunmen.
“Our brothers were set up by some persons in the Lobia community. The report we gathered showed that after they were killed,” a source said.
Pastor Rueben, whose 37-year-old younger brother, Judah Benaibi Wilson, was among those killed, had recently alleged that anti-President Goodluck Jonathan forces had planned to destabilize Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta region, using renegade ex-militants to launch crisis.
At Rueben Wilson’s house, scores of mourners gathered consoling the family members over the death of Wilson’s younger brother.
Wilson, who confirmed the story, was in a pensive mood as he was surrounded by his close associates.
The media coordinator of the JTF, Lt. Col N. Nwachukwu, who also confirmed the incident, however, stated that there was a shootout.
Nwachukwu said: “At about 2am on Sunday there was an armed collision between two armed groups at Lobia 1 in Southern Ijaw Area which led to the death of unspecified number of persons. Our troops have carried out a cordon and search operation in the community and recovered items including two AK 47 riffles, One GPMG barrel, six AK47 Magazines, one speed boats.”