Pandemonium broke out last Thursday as youths in Emede community, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State clashed with operatives of the Joint Task Force, known as ‘Operation Delta Sweep,’ Reporters has learned.
According to reports, the task force, comprising the military, police, DSS, and civil defence, allegedly stormed a popular brothel in the community to arrest suspected illicit drug users.
An eyewitness told Reporters that on Thursday, “a white Hilux van carrying personnel of Operation Delta Sweep stormed the brothel, brandishing weapons and harassing residents, some were customers, others had only come to have drinks.”
He explained that the team entered without prior notice, and when questioned, locals were told “the operatives were on illegal duty.”
According to him, “before we knew what was happening, they started arresting people and threatening to shoot”.
“They even tried firing, but their guns failed because of the terrain. That angered the youths, who then attacked the security agents. Two officers were beaten into a coma and rushed to hospital, while the rest managed to escape,” the source said.
The eyewitness added that the clash was fueled by a long‑standing community rule: “In Emede, no security agents are allowed to carry out arrests without first informing the community leadership. If an arrest is necessary, the person will be handed over at the station, not seized inside the community.”
Speaking to SaharaReporters, another eyewitness recounted that the day after the clash, more than 10 military trucks filled with soldiers stormed Emede community.
According to him, the troops carried out indiscriminate arrests and set houses and properties worth millions of naira ablaze.
“On Friday, Emede community looked like a war zone as the Nigerian Army rolled in with heavy trucks loaded with soldiers,” the source told SaharaReporters.
“The community president‑general, the vigilante chairman, and several others were arrested and taken away. The Joint Task Force, who according to verification were on illegal duty, only came to extort money, nothing more. But they met their waterloo along the line. Emede is a peace‑loving community; we are law‑abiding citizens.”
Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area, Friday Ovoke Warri, condemned the clash and appealed for calm.
Warri, who visited the scene alongside the Emede traditional ruler and local security personnel, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring peace following the violent confrontation between youths and security agents.
He denounced the destruction of property and the assault on security operatives, sympathising with affected families.
He stressed that his administration maintains zero tolerance for violence and criminality.
The chairman assured residents that Emede would remain calm and peaceful, noting that the government is closely monitoring developments to ensure lasting stability. As part of security measures, he had earlier imposed a dusk‑to‑dawn curfew in the town, restricting movement between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Meanwhile, calls and messages to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bridget Edafe, were not answered at the time of filing this report.
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