Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has given further details of how gunmen attacked his country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa state, killing a soldier during a fierce gunfight. The ex-leader demanded the arrest of those behind the attack even as he commended the gallant soldiers that defended him and his household.
The former president in a statement yesterday through his spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, said the assailants attacked his home through the “marine security post” at his home in Otuoke.
He said the former president “commended the Nigerian military for their gallantry in repelling the attack by engaging the assailants in a fierce gun duel that unfortunately claimed the life of a soldier.”
While demanding that the culprits be brought to book, the statement said “The former President also reiterated his call on the concerned security authorities to expose and bring the criminals to book as a means of ensuring that such daredevil criminality do not happen again in his community or any other place in the country.”
Giving more details about the incident, he stated that “the assailants who stormed President Jonathan’s country home in about five engine boats attacked the marine security post located within the periphery of the residence at about 1:30 am on Tuesday and sought to take control of a gunboat belonging to the military. They were however resisted by gallant soldiers who engaged them in a firefight.The gunmen who couldn’t stand the firepower of the military were forced to beat a retreat.”
Part of the statement further reads, “Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has thanked Nigerians for the continuing show of solidarity and sympathy following the Christmas eve attack by unknown gunmen in his country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa State. The former President who stated this while conducting sympathisers round the scene of the attack on Friday also commended the Nigerian military for their gallantry in repelling the attack by engaging the assailants in a fierce gun duel that unfortunately claimed the life of a soldier.
“Dr. Jonathan noted that since the assailants attacked his marine security post on December 24, 2019 many Nigerians of different social status including President Muhammadu Buhari, state Governors and political party leaders as well as foreigners have either visited him or called to express their heartfelt sympathy over the unfortunate attack in his house.”
