Niger Delta: Civilians slaughtered during Nigerian army raid

Source: Missionary International Service News Agency (MISNA)

At least four civilians were killed after a Nigerian army raid in some villages of the Niger Delta region, where the government suspects the presence of a rebel group base reported "The Vanguard", underlining that the operation is ongoing.

The offensive included an aerial bombardment and it started in Ayakoromo and other villages in the district of Burutu, in the Delta. Witness accounts from "The Vanguard" confirm that at least four people died in their house after it caught fire. An NGO active in the Delta, the Forum for Justice and the Defense of Human Rights (FJHD), says that at least 150 people were killed in the raid. "The communities in Ayakoromo and other nearby villages – said a note from the association – are still under siege by the joint Intervention Force".

According to "The Vanguard", the goal of the operation was to capture John Togo, an alleged commander of an armed group called Niger Delta Liberation Force

* Reports in "The Vanguard" indicated the victims were "roasted"