Army Denies Killing Nine People In Aladja Community, Delta

The Nigerian Army 6 Division says soldiers from the 3 Battalion in Effurun did not shoot nine persons in Aladja community, Delta during its renewed clash with Ogbe-Ijoh people.

Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, the Army Spokesman of the Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt, denied the allegation on Tuesday.

The Army Spokesman in a telephone chat said the claims of extra-judicial killings by its in Aladja Community were false and an attempt to blackmail the army.

Iliyasu said no soldier from 3 Battalion, Effurun on duty to restore peace in the troubled era, fired a bullet, despite the provocations as well as armed attack from Aladja youths, who had barricaded the only access road through their town to Ogbe-Ijoh.

His words: “There was nothing like those claims by the Aladja community, rather the people, having barricaded the access through their town with heavy metals and all sorts of materials and vehicles, started raining stones and firing at the troops that were sent to calm the situation down.

“While that was going on, the Commanding Officer (Rear) of the 3 Battalion had to put a call through to the State Governor to hear what was going on. You can call the Governor to confirm this.

“Besides that, the Chairman of their Local Government Area (Udu) was also with the troops while this was happening, you can call him to confirm if what his people were alleging has any truth in it.

“Despite all the provocation and even the fact that the people of the community were firing live bullets at the troops, the Commanding Officer ensured that not one shot was fired from his men.

“If they claim that men of the Nigerian Army shot at them or killed anybody, you should ask them for the corpses or the identities of those killed.”