Bernard Michael, one of the residents of the Okuama community seeking refuge in the village forest in Delta State, has said the residents of his community are farmers and do not engage in oil bunkering.
Naija News reports that Michael, father of six children, in an interview with Vanguard, said their children have been out of school and suffering in the bush following the tragic incidents in which some assailants murdered 17 military personnel in March.
Narrating their ordeal, Michael said they had nothing to eat in the bush except wild fruits and slept on the grass.
He further called on the government to make its findings, stressing that Okuama community residents are farmers and have no oil bunkers.
Michael said, “We are in the bush here, today, because one Ijaw man brought soldiers to our town when I was on my farm.
“So I came home, they were asking after our chairman. The chairman then came from the farm and we entertained them and they said they came for peace.
“However, later, they insisted that they would go with the chairman. The women refused, and soldiers started shooting and people scattered.
“Some boats later came to attack the soldiers and our people. It is a lie that we have oil in our community. We do not do bunkering.
“If the government uses every piece of equipment to dig our ground, they cannot see anything concerning oil bunkering.
“Amagbein is not from our community, we do not know anyone like that, and we have not heard that name in our community.
“Our children are out of school and we are suffering so much in the bush. We have nothing to eat in the bush; we eat wild fruits here and sleep on the grass.
“I am with all my kids and my wife, I did not lose anyone, but they have destroyed our houses and everything I have in the community, except this shirt, and shorts I am wearing.
“My appeal to the government is that they should allow us to go back home as we do not even know when we will go back. The soldiers are occupying our community now.”
The post ‘It Is A Lie, We Do Not Engage In Oil Bunkering’ – Okuama Residents In Forest Cry Out, Narrate Ordeal appeared first on Naija News.