The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, on Saturday day ordered the arrest and investigation of the killers of a commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers, deployed to quell a communal crisis in Okuoma community in Ughelli South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State.
Delta State Governor, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has also condemned, in very strong terms, the unprovoked killing of officers and soldiers attached to 63 Brigade at Okuama community.
This is just as the senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ede Dafinone; human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN); Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI); and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), have called for an investigation into the incident.
While the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that 16 officers and men were killed, community sources put the death toll at 22.
It was gathered that the military personnel were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Confirming the incident in a terse statement issued yesterday, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, said the CDS, General Musa, has ordered the arrest and investigation of all those involved in the killing.
He said the incident was reported to the Delta State government.
The statement titled: ‘Situation Report on the Attack and Killing of Military Personnel on Peace Mission By Okuoma Community’, said the defence chief ordered the immediate arrest and investigation of all those involved.
“The troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State while on a peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday, 14 March 2024.
“The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuoma and Okoloba communities both in Delta State,” it said.
“The reinforcement team led by the commanding officer was also attacked, leading to the death of the commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers.
“The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has directed the immediate investigation and arrest of those involved in the heinous crime.
“The occurrence has been reported to the Delta State government,” it said.
The statement affirmed, however, that the military remained focused and committed to its mandate of maintaining peace and security in the country.
“So far, a few arrests have been made while steps are in place to unravel the motive behind the attack,” it said.
THISDAY gathered that the events leading to the killings began on Wednesday when the Bomadi Division of the Joint Task Force (JTF) led by a major embarked on a rescue mission to the Okuoma community to free a kidnapped youth said to be an indigene of the neighbouring Okoloba community in Bomadi LGA, who was abducted over the lingering land dispute between the two communities.
However, on the following day, another team of military personnel led by the commanding officer, a Lieutenant Colonel, went to the community to rescue the youth held hostage by the armed group but were all killed.
According to one of the survivors of the attack, a civilian who was in the military team, as well as the commander and his men were taken unaware while on their way back to the waterfront after a deadlocked roundtable discussion in the Okuoma community hall over the fate of the kidnapped youth.
“We were coming back to our boats after the unfruitful discussion to release the kidnapped victim from the Okoloba community. Suddenly, there were rains of bullets coming from all directions and some of us managed to escape. Many people were killed during the ambush, including a former lawmaker from the Okoloba community, who reported the matter to the JTF.
“But the commander and other officers were held hostage and taken to an unknown destination towards the creek opposite the community”, he explained.
It was learnt that 22 military officers and men, including the Lieutenant Colonel, two majors, one captain, and 18 soldiers were later confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, the lifeless body of the kidnapped youth has been recovered from the River Forcados, near the Ayakoromor community.
“Like other victims, he was blindfolded with hands tied behind his back,” said a community source.
Oborevwori Condemns Killings, Condoles Military, Families of Victims
Delta State Governor, Oborevwori, has condemned the unprovoked killing of officers and soldiers.
He condoled with the military and the families of officers and soldiers who died in the attack.
Oborevwori, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, said: “The Government of Delta State is gravely disturbed by the violence and unprovoked killing of the officers and soldiers, which he described as alien to the culture of Deltans.”
The governor described the incident as despicable, adding also that it is not in sync with the culture and tradition of Deltans.
“On behalf of the government and good people of Delta State, I wish to condole, in particular, the families of the killed gallant officers and soldiers, the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces of Nigeria in general, over this sad occurrence,” the governor said.
The governor promised that the state government shall take all measures necessary to fish out all those behind this dastardly act and ensure they are made to face the full wrath of the law.
According to him, the state is governed within the tenets of the rule of law and human decency, adding that such incidents cannot and will not be tolerated.
Dafinone, Falana, AANI, HURIWA Demand Probe
In a related development, the senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ede Dafinone; human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN); Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI); and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), have called for an investigation into the incident.
Reacting to the incident, Dafinone called on the federal and Delta State governments to urgently intervene to de-escalate the crisis in the Okuoma community in Ughelli South LGA.
He also pleaded with the dramatis personae to sheath their swords for the sake of humanity.
Dafinone recalled that the leadership of the Okuoma community had raised an alarm of an alleged military invasion of their community on Thursday, March 14, 2024, following a land dispute with neighbouring community of Okoloba in Bomadi LGA, which led to the death of three young men, with women and children displaced, and with many buildings razed down.
While sympathising with the military authority over the loss of their men, he called on them to observe the military rules of engagement while dealing with civilians.
“I wish to appeal to the authority of the Nigerian army to act discreetly in this situation, that they should not allow their emotions to take the better part of their professional judgment by toning down their operations and observing the rules of engagement while dealing with civilians at Okuoma.
“I also wish to call on our people in Okuoma to shun any act of violence that could further escalate this crisis, which could have been avoided if both parties allowed reason to prevail”, he said.
Also reacting, Falana called on the Nigeria Police to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted into the case to prosecute the suspects without any delay.
“We join the members of the civilised humanity in condemning the brutality meted out to the military officers and soldiers as they were deployed for the peace-keeping mission to resolve the crisis in two warring communities in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.
“We are, however, pleased to note that the military remains focused and committed to its mandate of maintaining peace and security in the country.
“Having regard to the massacre of innocent people when the military invaded Odi in Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam in Benue State in similar circumstances, we commend the military authorities for resisting the temptation to subject the two warring communities to a reprisal attack. By all means, the army should avoid a repeat of the history of having multiple tragedies.”
“The Delta State Government, the respective local governments, and the leaders of two warring communities should assist the police to identify and isolate the remaining reckless murderers and unravel the motive behind the heinous crime,” Falana added.
On its part, the AANI has demanded justice for the brave soldiers with no leniency to the perpetrators while describing the killings as unforgivable.
A statement by the President of the association, Ambassador Emmanuel Okafor added that the act was an affront to the nation’s values.
“This is an unforgivable affront to our nation’s values, therefore our hearts bleed for the families of these fallen soldiers.
“The perpetrators, including the community leaders, must face the full force of the law. No one who dares to spill the blood of our defenders and attack Nigeria should escape justice. The perpetrators must face swift justice, with no leniency shown to those who dare to spill the blood of our beloved soldiers, for whatever reason,” he said.
Also reacting, HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, described the killings as insensitive, senseless, misdirected, absolutely reprehensible, and an act of terrorism.
HURIWA has also thrown her support to the order made by the Chief of Defence Staff for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the killers.
HURIWA said the killers of those soldiers aimed to expand the frontiers of the conflicts and to draw in the armed forces of Nigeria to become a party in the needless infighting amongst the gangsters.
The rights group praised the Nigeria Army for exercising restraints, saying that for the Chief of Defence Staff to opt for observing the principles of rule of law shows a high level of compliance to the rules of engagement which is highly encouraging.
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Sylvester Idowu in Warri
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