By Elizabeth Vincent, Yenegoa
One day she found herself alone in a dark room, surrounded by grief and uncertainty her young son had already been buried,her father-in-law had just returned from the hospital, battling for his life,beside her sat her paralysed mother-in-law, overwhelmed by sorrow and helplessness.
It was in the aftermath of a military operation in 2019, and according to Faith Stanley, it would not be the last time soldiers would descend on Udoda-Okolobiama community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers state.
The widow has recounted the devastating losses her family allegedly suffered during repeated security operations in the riverine community, describing years of deaths, displacement, and emotional trauma that continue to haunt survivors.
Speaking during an interview,Mrs Faith Stanley narrated how her son was killed during an air raid on the community in 2019,according to her, residents had taken refuge indoors as gunfire and bombardment engulfed the area.
“The first victim in my family was my son she recalled during the military operation, bullets reached where we were hiding,he was hit and struggled for his life, but nobody could come out to rescue him because everyone was hiding for safety,we heard some soldiers saying this one is gone we cried helplessly and later found a way to bury him.”
Her father-in-law who had suffered a stroke before the incident, allegedly became critically ill in the aftermath of the operation my father in-law was already down with stroke, we managed to place him in a canoe because there was no other means of transportation.
Along the journey we were paddling the canoe to the neighbouring community before we boarded a speedboat, and he started shaking uncontrollably, while my mother-in-law, who was also partially paralysed sat helplessly beside him, the family recounted they eventually transported him through neighbouring communities before reaching Okaki, from where he was taken to Yenagoa for treatment.
Stanley said doctors at Emeka Clinic informed the family that his condition was critical and that his chances of survival were slim,he spent just one day at my sister-in-law’s home after we returned from the hospital,the following day, he died,I was alone with my father-in-law and mother-in-law my sister inlaw throughout that painful night crying and wondering how much more my family could endure.”
According to Faith, her husband narrowly escaped death during the 2019 operation because he was receiving treatment at a medical facility in Igbogene and was absent from the village at the time,with the deaths of her son and father-in-law, she said she was left with enormous responsibilities including caring for her aged mother-in-law and arranging burials under difficult circumstances.
“My father-in-law’s body remained in the mortuary for almost a year before we could finally bury him,the shock of losing her husband and grandson greatly affected my mother-in-law’s health,Stanley said however, Stanley alleged that tragedy struck again in 2022 when security personnel returned to the community.
“After my husband returned to the village, the military came again in 2022 they shot him that was the last time I saw him alive i was in Yenagoa when I received the call informing me that my husband had been killed,” she alleged.
According to her, the emotional burden became unbearable as her mother-in-law later died after struggling with the trauma of losing her husband, grandson, and son,i lost my son first, then my father-in-law, my husband, and later my mother-in-law those memories will remain with me forever she said with tears.
Family Members Corroborate Account
Confirming the account, Stanley’s sister-in-law, Lydia Miyama, described the incidents as deeply traumatic and said the pain remains fresh in the minds of surviving relatives,visibly emotional during the interview, Miyama said four members of her family lost their lives as a result of the operations.
“Only in my family we lost four people the trauma is something we can never forget my family has never been involved in oil bunkering activities, Miyama said she also narrated the circumstances surrounding the death of her elder brother during the 2022 operation.
According to her, residents were carrying out their normal activities when news spread that soldiers were approaching the community,my elder brother was not strong because he had only recently recovered from an illness,he was sitting outside and rushed while the rest of us hid in one room he went into my father’s room.”
Shortly afterwards, soldiers reportedly forced their way into the house, breaking doors as they entered. “Some workers who had been sleeping in the compound fled when the soldiers arrived, but my brother, weakened by illness, could not escape.
When the soldiers broke into the room where he was hiding, they shot him. We could hear everything from where we were hiding. We were crying but too afraid to come out,she claimed.
Miyama further alleged that after discovering her brother was not involved in any criminal activity, attempts were made to conceal the shooting.
“They wrapped his body and took it towards the river and threw him in the river,it was later someone shouted that something was floating in the river,we had to paddle a canoe to bring the tarpaulin out and untie it ,It was my brother his body had started rising we believe they realised he was innocent and were trying to cover up what had happened.”
The women called on relevant authorities to investigate the incidents and ensure justice for affected families, insisting that the losses continue to have profound emotional and psychological consequences.
Community Still Struggling Years After Operations
Years after the military operations, residents of Udoda-Okolobiama say they are still living amid the ruins of destruction, displacement, and neglect,what began as a security operation targeting suspected gunmen has, according to community leaders evolved into a lingering humanitarian crisis marked by abandoned homes disrupted education and deteriorating infrastructure.
Today, deserted schools, a neglected health centre collapsed buildings impassable roads and recurring floods paint a grim picture of a community struggling to recover,speaking during an interview, chairman of the community development committee (CDC), Ableble Mercy, recounted how the crisis began in 2019 when armed men reportedly entered the community.
“As much as I know, the incident started in 2019 when some gunmen came into our community,when the military received information that suspected criminals were hiding here soldiers invaded the area in an attempt to chase them out.
“Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the gunmen they began bombing, shooting, and destroying houses many innocent people lost their lives homes, and properties during the operation .”
According to him the aftermath of the raid forced many families to flee, leaving schools deserted and children displaced from education,our schools are empty because people ran away to protect their lives,no children are left in the community to attend the primary school,families are scattered in different places he lamented”.
Mercy also highlighted the community’s recurring flooding challenges saying annual floods destroy farm lands crops, and homes whenever the floods come they destroy our farms and soak our houses,people are forced to move out and stay elsewhere until the water recedes.”
He further decried the lack of basic infrastructure, including electricity, solar lighting, and access roads,we have no roads, no solar lights, and we sleep in darkness every night. We were told that a road project from Okaki to Udoda and Obogolo would pass through this area, but the project stopped at a neighbouring community since then, we have continued trekking long distances in hardship.”
“The CDC chairman appealed to both the state and federal governments to rebuild homes allegedly destroyed during the operations,we are begging the government to hear our cry those houses destroyed during the air raid should be rebuilt so that displaced residents can return home.”
Victims Demand Justice and Rehabilitation
One of the affected residents, Joel Onisomise Godfrey, whose house was allegedly burnt during the operation, expressed frustration over what he described as government neglect, when you look at this house, you will see that it was burnt down during the operation.
They came here to chase unknown gunmen, but innocent people became victims I was never involved in bunkering or any armed activity, so I do not understand why my house was destroyed government officials are supposed to protect citizens’ lives, not destroy their properties he said.
Godfrey accused authorities of abandoning the community after the incident and warned that legal action could be pursued if justice is not served If the government does not rebuild my house, one day legal action will begin,this happened around 2020 or 2021, and since then nothing has been done.”
He alleged that the operation involved personnel from the navy, air force, and army the painful part is that after everything that happened, nobody came back to ask how the people are surviving.
The government only remembers this area when it is time to extract crude oil, but they do not care about developing the people,even our primary school has been overtaken by bushes because families have deserted the area.”
Another resident, Okenye Godwin, also alleged that his home was destroyed during the operation,the soldiers came after hearing that some criminals were hiding in the community.
They started bombing and shooting and my house was affected too so many parents and children have left because of fear,flooding also affects us every year, destroying homes and forcing people to relocate to neighbouring communities.”
He appealed to the government to assist displaced residents and rebuild destroyed homes,we are begging the government to hear our cry and help those whose houses were burnt down many people are still suffering and living without adequate shelter.”
Call for Development and Infrastructure
Community elder Chief Amabure called on government agencies and development partners to invest in infrastructure and economic projects in the area,according to him, during the administration of former Rivers state governor Melford Okilo, the community released about 1,500 hectares of land for agricultural development palm trees were planted on the land, but since then nothing meaningful has been done with it.
He appealed to the Niger Delta development commission (NDDC) to establish a large-scale agricultural project in the area to create employment opportunities for youths and residents along the Engenni axis.
“I believe this is the right time for the NDDC to establish a major agricultural project here so that young people and other residents can benefit through employment and economic opportunities he said.
Chief Amabure also decried the abandonment of the road project linking Mbiama and Udoda. there was a road project during the tenure of Asita O. Asita in the house of representatives.
The road was intended to run from Mbiama to Udoda, but unfortunately the project stopped at Ugovia,since then there has been no access road to this community, despite contributing significantly to the nation’s wealth through its natural resources,he argued adding that the community remains deprived of basic amenities.
“We have no roads, no solar power, and no basic infrastructure, yet this community is richly blessed with mineral resources from which the government continues to benefit he said.”
Expressing disappointment over years of neglect chief Amabure added perhaps if we had influential people in government, our plight would have received attention unfortunately for many years this community has been abandoned.”
He noted that beyond the destruction allegedly caused during security operations and illegal bunkering activities, many residents remain displaced, worsening the hardship faced by the community.
The community demands justice from federal and state government to restructure, rebuild their health center, those who house where burned down need compensation, road construction ,solar lights and basic amenities.
