People of Ibelebiri community in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa state has called on the authorities of the Nigerian Armed Forces to release three of their sons, whom they said were arrested last year by the defunct Operation Pulo Shield, now Operation Delta Safe.
Speaking through the ruler of the community, Chief Earnest Ogoli, the people of the community said marksmen, later identified as men and officers of the defunct “Operation Polo Shield, invaded the community on May 26, 2016, and whisked away three of their sons: Mathew Ebikeme, Bubayenimibofa James and Bubayenimibofa Clinton.”
The traditional ruler said untold hardship had since faced the families of the trio, adding that all attempts to secure their release or getting to know the whereabouts of these men has proved futile.
He said: “The army came at night. They masked their faces but latter identified them as members of JTF. We have gone to court in Yenagoa and Abuja on this issue. The Military appeared in Court and said Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps (NAIC) ordered the arrest.
“These men do have any criminal tendencies. One of the victims is even my brother. I trained him. None of them is into criminal activities.”
Ogoli said the community secured a writ of habis corpus from the court which later made the Nigerian Army to appear on the matter, noting that despite the military’s appearance the persons have not still been produced for trial or granted total freedom.
He stressed that the persons were “peace-loving, friendly, industrious and God-fearing young men,” whom he said were innocent of any crime they might have been accused of.
He said any allegation the military might have levelled against them could be political motivated, and an identity crisis.
