It's been ten days since the 24-hour curfew was imposed on Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State due to a riot that followed the #ENDSARS protest in the area.

A humanitarian crisis is now likely to occur as residents lament the inability to access food and other basic items. They say some residents have resorted to stealing food items like plantain from other people's compounds to stay alive.

A woman who told our correspondent that she's been unable to access the needed medical care, called for a review of the 24-hour curfew to enable residents, who she says live in fear, access food, and drugs.

Many residents of Oyigbo have fled their homes in fear since the start of the Military operation with reports of endless shootings in the area. The military operation started in Oyibo after Governor Nyesom Wike imposed a curfew there and reinforced a ban on the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB in the State; a separatist group said to have hijacked the peaceful #ENDSARS protests in Oyigbo.

Disturbing reports of military brutality are now being circulated on social media with the hashtags #OyigboMassacre and #OyigboIsBleeding.

The spokesperson of the six Division of the Nigerian Army Port Harcourt, Major Charles Ekeocha had clarified that the military operation in Oyigbo is not targeted at innocent persons but criminals who killed six soldiers and went away with their weapons. 

Major Ekeocha also dismissed reports that soldiers were breaking into houses to kill innocent citizens.

The king of Oyigbo kingdom in Oyigbo Local Government Area, Eze Mike Nwaji says is not true that the soldiers deployed to the area are shooting indiscriminately and killing people.

He, however, urged the residents, especially the youths who are in possession of the arms belonging to security agents to submit it to him if they are afraid of meeting the military men.

Also; a resident of the area said in his axis of Oyigbo the soldiers are after those they suspect are involved in the looting of their weapons.

Another resident from Iriebi in Obi-Akpor Local Government Area explained their experience at the hands of the military.

In the meantime, former spokesman of Nigerian Army, retired Brigadier General Sani Usman, who explained the danger of allowing the weapons to be in the hands of the hoodlums said it is expected that the military will observe the rules of engagement in Oyigbo no matter the provocation.

However, the National President, Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, Osagie Obayuwana reminded the military of the existence of the International Criminal Court and advised them to exercise restraint in their operation to retrieve their weapons.

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NigeriaInfoPH