Soldiers from Warri invaded Kurutie (Little London) around 4:30am this morning in search of more members of the Niger delta Avengers.
Kurutie which is said to be ex-militant Government Ekpemulo’s hometown is another community in Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State.
The soldiers were said to have attacked in 6 gunboats and stormed the community in search of members of the militant faction Niger Delta Avengers.
It was reported yesterday that the military had already arrested at least 10 members of the group and had paraded them.
The Vanguard reports that a witness said, “I am looking at the soldiers from a hideout in the bush, they are going from house to house. We know their tactics, so we ran away when they landed this morning at the jetty in the town, belonging to Tompolo’s father,”
Tompolo had in a statement denied the Niger Delta Avengers and even pleaded with them to stop their attacks on pipelines. It seems the military has disregarded this and still gone after the Niger Delta Avengers in Tompolo’s community.
The soldiers cordoned the area and performed a door to door search of the community.
According to the Vanguard, Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, confirmed the siege on Kurutie and also stated that the soldiers had disregarded pleas from the Gbaramatu monarch, HRM Oboro Gbaraun II to Brigadier General Paul Boroh (retd) that the soldiers should be more professional in the discharge of their duties.
The soldiers reportedly left around 6:30am.