Corpses Of Slain Bayelsa Ex-Militants Found In Shallow Grave

Corpses of two persons out of the eight killed in the deadly weekend attack at Lobia community along the creek of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have been recovered.

The corpses were reportedly discovered in a shallow grave believed to have been dug by their killers. The development, it was learnt, has heightened tension in the troubled coastal area.

Gunmen suspected to be militants had, Saturday, launched a vicious attack in Lobia community killing eight persons.

It was learnt that Judah, the younger brother to a former militant leader, Mr. Reuben Wilson, popularly known as Pastor, was among the victims of the onslaught.

But the family of one of the slain youths, Judah Benaibi Wilson, in a statement, yesterday, by the Head of the Clifford-Wilson Family of Koluama 1 community, Comrade Joseph Wilson, dismissed the claim that the youths were killed during a gang war.

The family insisted that the discovery of the bodies in a shallow grave was a clear evidence that they were set up and murdered by the armed men.

Contrary to the claims of the Joint Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield that the eight youths were killed during a gang war in the area, search party set up by concern youths of the affected Lobia community discovered the body of two in a shallow grave while others are still missing.

According to the Wilson family, their son, Judah was shot dead  by some  yet to be known assailants while on a peace mission to Lobia Community in the Southern Ijaw Area of Bayelsa State.

The statement read in part, “It is shocking and traumatic to note that the facts involved in the reported killing of our son and others are being twisted and distorted. The family want to state categorically that the Late Judah is the only one related to Pastor Reuben Wilson and is an indigene of Lobia community.

“His presence in Lobia is not strange but his movement to his home community was to assist the other murdered youths to forestall peace and settle some lingering youth leadership issues in the community. They were unarmed and defenceless when the armed men opened fire on them while trying to anchor their boat  by the Lobia Jetty.

“Though we are not out to join issues with the authorities of the Joint Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield and other relevant security agency, but the reported involvement of late Judah Benaibi Wilson and seven others in a gang fight is wrong and untrue.

“We, the Wilson family,  urge the security  agents to rise up to their duties and fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

“The security agents should review the reported facts surrounding the Saturday killing at Lobia Community main town. To us, who are not security personnel, it appeared that the murdered youths were set up for ambush by the boat driver and the Chief Security Officer of the Lobia Community.

“After the incident, both the boat driver and the Chief Security Officer, arrived in Yenagoa and went into hiding from families of those killed. They did not deem it fit to contact anyone on the details of what transpired. It is indeed a set up.

“Two corpses out of that of eight persons shot dead were reportedly buried in a shallow grave in the bush near the Lobia community like they did to the killed 12 Policemen.

“We are worried and appealed to the  security agents to use all, within their reach, to bring these killers of our son, brother and family member to book as our family have been thrown into mourning mood.”

Source: Vanguard