Some residents of Emelego, Ogboloma, and Okolomade communities in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State are fleeing the area, following the search for the killers of two soldiers by the Nigerian Army.
It was gathered that the troops stormed the communities to make arrests over the shooting of the two soldiers who were attached to the Ekaago-Ogboloma-Adada road project being executed by the state government in the area.
It was learnt that the two soldiers were killed by gunmen to pave the way for the abduction of the foreman, a foreigner, handling the project.
The assailants, it was further learnt carted away the rifles of the slain soldiers, whisked the foreman, three other workers at the project site, and a farmer they met while fleeing.
A community source, who pleaded anonymity for fear of being identified, told journalists that the hoodlums, after taking their captives shot sporadically into the air before escaping through a nearby river in Akani community in Abua/Odual LGA.
The source stated, “Some hoodlums came to the Ogboloma road construction site on Tuesday with the intention of kidnapping the white man handling the road project. They laid an ambush and waited for them to resume duty. So, on sighting the army, they shot and killed the two personnel.
“They also kidnapped the foreman, three other workers, and one farmer who was returning from the farm in Ogboloma community. They took away the rifles of the soldiers and escaped through Esala River after serious shooting.”
“With this, the army came to make some arrests in Emelego and Ogboloma communities but we are all living in fear. We all have been sleeping in the bush; there is panic everywhere because we don’t know the next move the army will make.”
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Lt.-Col Iweha Ikedishi, proved abortive as he did not answer calls put across to his mobile phone. Also, he had yet to reply to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report on Friday evening.
