Three Soldiers Accused of Extorting N200,000 from Bayelsa Residents

The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Bayelsa addressed the Defence Headquarters with petition over alleged case of misconduct and extortion by some soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the state.

The human rights group alleged that three soldiers on escort duty in the creek had forcefully demanded and extorted N200,000 from some indigenes of Atonyekiri community, near Nembe in Bayelsa, on November 12, 2013, Tuesday. The accused soldiers carried out the alleged crime at about 3 p.m. while on an escort duty for Agip.

Nengi James, the Chairman of Bayelsa chapter of the CLO said that a formal complaint has also been filed with the Unit Commander of the JTF in Brass Island.

According to him, the soldiers were escorting Agip workers who were undertaking a repair work at a crude oil leakage site close to Atonyekiri community in Brass Local Government Area of the state.

“While the Agip staff and some Nembe Oil and Gas Committee members were at the site of the oil spillage to effect the repairs, they left behind the soldiers on the gun boat provided for the escort duty.

“The three soldiers, whose names have been given to the JTF Commander of the Brass Unit disembarked and invaded the Diesel Pump station within the community with the accusation of illegal bunkering.

“They demanded for the sum of half a million naira but when the people refused, they brought out a Jerry can of fuel and sprayed it on the houses in the fishing settlement and threatened to burn down their homes,” Mr. James said.

He alleged that the diesel dealer and the indigenes of the community raised N200,000 and gave it to the soldiers. He said that following the soldiers action, the Agip officials present quickly filed a complaint with the JTF Unit commander in Brass.

Mr. James called on the military authorities to order an investigation into the incident and ensure that the soldiers involved are made to face justice.

When contacted on the development, the spokesperson of the JTF, Onyema Nwachukwu said its headquarters has not received any official complaint from the groups, nor briefing from its Unit Commander in Brass, but promised to take proper action, if such a paper received. 
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