*Denies Invading Bayelsa Community, Burning Houses, Killing Residents
*Gov Oborevwori Visits Bomadi Military Base
*Flags Fly At Half–Mast, Army Begins Three-Day Mourning
*Okuama Yet To Tell Its Side Of Story
THE Nigerian Army has released the names and photographs of the soldiers killed on Thursday at Okuama in Delta State.
The Army, in a post on its official X handle on Monday evening, March 18, named the slain Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion as Lt-Col. Abdullahi Hassan Ali; the Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander in Bomadi, Major Gembu Shafa; while the two Majors are SD Shafa and DE Obi, and the Captain identified as U Zakari.
The Army also named the other 13 slain soldiers, including Staff Sergeant Yahaya Seidu.
Meanwhile, the military has denied reports on Monday, March 18, that soldiers carried out retaliatory attacks in Okuama and invaded a community in Bayelsa State, burning houses, killing residents while in search of culprits of the Okuama killings.
The military authorities caution Okuama against resort to propaganda in the face of the soldiers killings in the community.
The Army was responding to media reports that its troops on Monday morning invaded Igbomotoru in the Southern Ijaw Local Council of Bayelsa State, razing houses and allegedly killing about 11 people.
The report said soldiers in five gunboats invaded the community, razing three houses suspected to be the hideout of a militant leader allegedly involved in the killing of the soldiers in Okuama.
A community leader, Ayibakipreye Solomon Clarkson Suobo, in an SOS alert to President Bola Tinubu and the Governor Douye Diri also confirmed the invasion and arson by the military, saying: “I am calling on all security chiefs in Nigeria to please kindly intervene to save lives and property in Igbomotoru 2 community, which started about 8 this morning.
“Information reaching me as the CTC member representing the good and peaceful of Igbomotoru Ward 6 is very unpleasant. The military is a very trained organisation whose responsibility is to defend its citizens, rather than destroy them.
“To buttress further, the news about the brutal killing of military personnel a few days in Delta State is a condemnable act, but my current concern is, however, the intelligence reports are linked.
“There was need for a better approach rather than attacking and killing innocent indigent people of my community, Igbomotoru 2, that is situated thousands of miles away from Delta State where the gruesome murder of military personnel occurred.
“Please, let all agencies of peace in Nigeria arise now to save my people now, because my community is under siege as at this moment. Please, let all peace loving Nigerians come to our aid, we are being oppressed innocently without an explanation.
“Please, I am appealing to the military to apply the carrot and stick approach, which is the recommended practice world over when dealing with unarmed civilians.”
There were also reports of invasion of Okuama by a large number of soldiers, who were accused of harassing innocent residents/indigenes and burning down houses in the guise of searching for the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
But the military, while debunking the claims of reprisal attacks on Okuama, in a statement by the Director Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, on Monday, March 18, said the community was already deserted even before troops arrived there.
Buba advised those peddling the fake news of reprisal attacks on the community to desist from further dishonouring the fallen heroes, saying it behoves on the community leaders, elders and the people of Delta State to identify the perpetrators of the murder, so that they could be brought to account for the heinous crime.
The Defence spokesman said as long as the dispute between Okuama and Okoloba communities remain, it “implies that there could be untoward activities not initiated by the military,” adding: “Overall, there is no doubt that this is an extremely sad development and untoward activity by members of the Okuama community against troops that were there to protect them.
“We urge the public to resist the temptation of allowing any videos of the incident of the killed personnel from going viral. It would be a dishonour to the fallen heroes to allow such ugly videos of their demise go viral.
“Above all, as the military mourns, it remains ever determined to ensure safety and security of citizens across the country.”
Buba said it was tragic, senseless and barbaric to have killed the officers and soldiers in such a dehumanised and unspeakable manner, noting that while the armed forces mourn the loss of the gallant troops, there would be measured responses and injurious consequences for the perpetrators.
He consoled the deceased families, colleagues and loved ones over the tragic incident, reminding Nigerians that the armed forces consist of citizens from every nook and cranny of the country who had taken oath of allegiance to put themselves in harms way to defend the country.
The Defence spokesman said it was in line with this that troops were deployed on internal security operations in virtually all the states of the federation to intervene, deescalate and contain security breaches.
He stated: “The ugly incident in Okuama in Delta is indicative of the dangers our gallant troops experience in order to secure our nation.
“The military assures that there would be measured responses and injurious consequences for the perpetrators of these dastardly act. Nevertheless, the armed forces, being disciplined forces, that comply with rules of engagement, laws of armed conflict and the respect for human rights would be tempered by these provisions.”
In a related development, the Army assured that it would not be led by emotions, but by the rule of law, while accusing Okuama community of “resorting to media propaganda and shenanigans to divert attention from the gruesome killing of 16 officers and soldiers” and to curry public sympathy over the killings.
The Army vow to apprehend the perpetrators and assured no reprisals, urging normalcy as efforts continue to bring the culprits to justice.
The Army, in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Monday, March 18, in Abuja, said: “The unfortunate killing of troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army (NA), while on a peaceful and mediatory mission, after a reported case of communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi Local Councils of Delta State, respectively, is not only despicable, but should be unreservedly condemned by all.
“These were troops committed to peace and security of lives and property of citizens and non-citizens alike in the Niger Delta region, murdered in cold blood by an armed youth gang of Okuama community, in the most gruesome, heartless and cruel manner and went ahead to sacrilegiously debase their remains by ripping out their hearts by the very people they were there to protect.
“Regrettably, the community complicit in this dastardly act has resorted to media propaganda and shenanigans, rather than engage in a positive effort to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
“This again is a clear indication that the murder of the troops was a communally orchestrated attack against legitimate forces. The falsehood being peddled by these criminals and their cohorts to whip up sentiments and sway the public to cover-up, endorse or support the outrageous criminal acts of their armed youth gang should be disregarded in its entirety, it is only a ridiculous attempt at justifying their crime, rather than turn in themselves to security agencies.
“There is no amount of propaganda that would arm-twist the narrative, they are complicit and must be ready to face the wrath of the law.
“While law-abiding citizens are assured that there will be no reprisal on the part of the troops, we enjoin all to go about their normal activities, even as ongoing efforts are scaled up to positively identify and isolate the criminals to account for their atrocious deeds.
“The Chief of Army of Staff, Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, while commiserating with the families of the officers and soldiers who lost their lives, has directed that no stone should be left unturned until the perpetrators of this gruesome acts are apprehended to face the full wrath of the law.
“Troops are determined to get to these criminals; there is certainly no hiding place for them.”
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, on Monday,March 18, visited the 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian military at Bomadi.
The governor’s visit elicited heavy security presence in the riverine town as early as 7am, with armoured vehicles and security agents stationed at strategic locations, even as a helicopter hovering around.
Oborevwori had on arrival gone straight to the military base on NDDC Road. He was welcomed by the leader of the military JTF and General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division Nigeria Army, Maj-Gen. Jamaal Abdulsalam and held a closed-door meeting with military authorities that lasted for over an hour. Journalists were no allowed access into the area.
The governor later visited Okuama to assess the extent of damage in the community. But the military JTF barred journalists from covering the governor’s tour of the troubled community, as security operatives barricaded the major entry to Okuama with an armoured personnel carrier, thereby restricting human and vehicular movement, including journalists from gaining access to the community.
Neither the governor nor government officials spoke to journalists after the visit.
In memory of the fallen heroes, the Armed Forces of Nigeria on Monday, March 18, began a three-day national mourning for the 17 soldiers killed by Okuama youths, with flags flying at half-mast in all military locations across the country.
It was gathered that a signal to that effect had been issued to all the three Services- the Nigerian Army (NA), Nigeria Navy (NN) and Nigeria Air Force (NAF).
“A directive has been issued by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, to the three Services to that effect.
“From Monday March 18 up till March 20, all colours (flags) are to be flown at half-mast in honour of the Armed Forces of Nigeria personnel Killed In Action (KIA),” source said.
Flying the flag at half-mast is usually to show respect and sorrow for heroic personnel who lost their lives in the service of the country.
In all these, Okuama community has not been heard; the people have been able to tell, in details, their own side of the story.
But there have been misgivings in the community concerning the activities of the military, including alleged killing of some residents/indigenes, before the fateful day over the land dispute with the neighbouring community.
A holistic investigation will unravel the motive behind and circumstances surrounding the unjustifiable and dastardly killing of the soldiers, even as the country mourns its fallen heroes.
