The family of a boat
driver who died in a fatal shooting by operatives of the Joint
Military Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, has demanded
justice, insisting he was innocent.
Mr. Boluozimo Tulagha,
39, died on January 13, 2017 from three shots allegedly fired by operatives at
the waterfront of Polaku community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
The family of the
deceased transport boat operator is protesting the alleged gruesome murder by
security operatives, have expressed their anger and their determination to
receive justice.
It not yet ascertained
established why the boat driver, who had plied his trade in Polaku and environs
for more than seven years was shot dead.
But community sources,
say that Boluozimo was contracted by a gang of hoodlums to help them to carry
some vegetables from Polaku to Odi in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of
the state.
They further said that
unknown to the boat driver, some items suspected to be guns were concealed in
the sack of vegetables the gang hired him to ferry for them.
The sources claimed that
operatives, acting on a tip-off, had laid an ambush for the boat, and when the
boat was about to sail, the security operatives opened fire, which allegedly
led to the killing of the boat driver.
However, another source
claimed that the boat driver felled by bullets from the troops when a suspected
gang of hoodlums, suspected to be gunrunners engaged in a shootout with the JTF
operatives.
It was learnt that after
the incident, the troops arrested two members of the gang, who were said to
have been detained by the operatives.
The father of Boluozimo,
Rev. E.D. Tulagha, a cleric and former secondary school Principal, claimed that
his son was murdered in cold blood and that he did not have any history of
criminality since he was born.
Leading the family
members in a protest in Yenagoa, the octogenarian said the indiscriminate
killing of his 'innocent' son was very patience-absorbing and miserable.
He said the late Boluozimo
had been driving that speed boat for more than seven years and had never had
any problem until some youths negotiated with him to make a trip to Odi.
Tulagha stated, ''On
January 13, 2017 they were ready to move to Odi. Boluozimo went into the boat
in order to warm the engine. The security men appeared with guns and
inadvertently shot Boluozimo's leg.
''He then shouted with
uplifted hands and said, 'I am only a driver; I don't know anything about them.
Do not kill me'.
''Then the operatives lodged
another gunshot on side of his shoulder. He was shouting and crying, 'Don't
kill me, I am ignorant of anything they are doing.
''The security
operatives, in the process gave the third gunshot into his bowels and Boluozimo
died right in the spot without mercy.
''After that, according
to information, their boss arrived from a gunboat. He then warned that no
gunshot should be made,” he said
Tulagha, however, said
that subsequent information gathered was that the youth who approached his son
were cultists and that was not made known to him (Boluozimo), insisting that
his son was completely innocent of what they were all about.
He said the killing of
his son was curious bearing in mind that they did not see any gun with him and
that when he was fired the first shot, he begged them with an uplifted hand
that he was innocent.
''The security agents
are not supposed to shoot at sight, even a criminal without investigating
critically the reason for the crime. The security agents in this regard could
be termed vandals as it was in the case of late Boluozimo.
''Even if the police or
any other security agent are approaching a scene of action, they will not shoot
until the scene is uncontrollably wild and uncontrollable then shooting can
take place or at best the army can intervene.
“But there was no such
atmosphere, therefore, it is vehemently a point against against the
operatives.'' The father said.
He pleaded with the
relevant authorities to investigate the unwarranted killing of his son, whom he
described as one of the most well-behaved of his children and bring the
culprits to justice.
Also, a younger brother
of the deceased, Dr. Charles Tulagha, described the killing of Boluozimo as
callous and wicked.
Charles, a medical
doctor at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, said, ''As a family, we frown on
the unjust killing of our brother; we want to clear the air that Boluozimo was
a cultist or militant.
“The Boluozimo that I
know as a brother was far from all the allegations leveled against him.
''He was tagged militant
by the security agents. My brother was just a driver, he was not a militant or
a criminal.
“He had been doing the
business for over seven years. That was his business. He did not even drink, he
did not smoke, he was innocent and far from militancy.
''I believe that killing him after he raised his hand to prove his innocence was preposterous, callous and unthinkable of the security agents.
''We are appealing for justice to be done. We want the government to bring the perpetrators to justice.'' Charles said.
However, he Coordinator,
Joint Media Campaign Centre, of the Jont Task Force in the Niger Delta,
christened Operation Delta Safe Lt.-Col.
Olaolu Daudu, said the incident was a case of arms deal, adding that two
persons had been arrested in connection with the matter.
He said arms deal was a
sensitive matter, urging journalists to refrain from sensationalising such
issue in order not to jeopardise investigation process.
''We have two of them in
our net. So, I wouldn't know what they were protesting for, neither would I
want to respond to their protest because I see it as an attempt to cause
diversion and distraction.
''And I will implore
journalists to always weigh such matter before even bringing it up for
confirmation.
This is because
sometimes, these are very serious security matters which as investigations are
ongoing, we may not want to divulge too much so that it will not jeopardise the
ongoing investigation process.
''However, I want to
believe that with the facts on ground, and what they (family) themselves have
stated, they are heavily indicted. This matter is a highly sensitive security
issue that cannot be handled in any lackadaisical manner.'' Daudu said,
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