THE Nigerian Navy yesterday warned Ijaw youths who have been terrorising their Itsekiri neighbours in Delta State to retrace their steps in their own interest, vowing to return fire for fire, henceforth. The Navy confirmed that nine security personnel from the Army and Navy involved in peace keeping in the state had so far been killed in the renewed war in Warri and its environs. The flag officer commanding Western Naval Command (FOC) Rear Admiral Antoni Bob-Manuel at a press conference at the NNS Umalokun, Warri Naval base warned the Ijaw warriors that his command could no longer watch while security agents were being slaughtered for whatever reason. Bob-Manuel, an Ijaw himself, lamented the trend in which Ijaw youths were engaging military personnel in exchange of fire. His words:” These boys attacked with AK 47 assault rifles and other light weapons. Appropriate machinery has since been set in motion to investigate and identify persons behind these attacks. But let me sound a note of warning here that in future such attacks against our bases, units or personnel will be met with appropriate counter operation or force.” On the persistent clashes between Navy personnel of NNS Umalokun and Ijaw youths, Bob-Manuel recalled the attack on the joint task force of the Nigerian Army and Navy on patrol of Escravos river at Oprosa on the 21st of March 2003. Full Story
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