Soldiers have reportedly killed no fewer than eight armed youths from Ikot Offiong area of Cross River State.
The youths encountered the soldiers while trying to attack Ikot Ada Akpan in Oku Iboku, in the Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The Ikot Offiong armed youths had gone to Ikot Ada Akpan in six speedboats on Saturday, throwing hand grenades, as well as firing shots at houses.
It was gathered that some soldiers, said to be guarding the area, killed eight of them and injured several others. The attackers were said to have fled with the corpses and the injured.
An indigene of the area, Dr Demson Ekong, told newsmen that the incident happened around 4pm on Saturday.
“The soldiers intervened and prevented the mercenaries from killing us.
“As the assailants were throwing hand grenades and shooting into people’s houses, the soldiers intervened immediately. On Sunday, we heard that the soldiers killed eight of the assailants,” he said.
He said the attackers used Ikoneto village in Okurikang, in the Odukpani LGA of Cross River State as their operational base.
He said the marine police had started patrolling the area to curb the activities of the armed youths who were being used to destabilise Oku Iboku.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Chukwu Ikechukwu, said he was not aware of the incident at the moment.
