Contrary to the news that only three soldiers died a fortnight ago after they drowned in Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has claimed that no fewer than 50 troops actually lost their lives, Tribune News online reports.
NDA, which made this known on its Twitter handle, @Niger Delta Avengers, on Tuesday, said the Chief of Army Staff, deployed personnel on a suicide mission because they lacked “amphibian” training to navigate in the creeks.
The group said that but for the swift help of local fishermen, the death rate would have reached 100.
It accused the COAS of selling a dummy to President Muhammadu Buhari that its members were killing soldiers.

“The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Burutai, in his statement, said NDA killed Nigerian soldiers. It is a big lie!
“The Chief of Army Staff deployed personnel without amphibian training to the creeks that led to the death of about 50 soldiers.
“If not for the help of local fishermen, the death rate should have been up to 100.
“He (COAS) has been lying to his Commander in Chief that NDA are killing soldiers.
“This is our stand: we have not killed soldiers. If we do, we will claim responsibility because we take proud and responsibilities in all we are doing. That is our code.
“God bless the Niger Delta Republic,” the NDA’s tweet read.

It will be recalled that about three soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, allegedly perished in two detached boat tragedies in Bayelsa and Delta states.