Troops search warring communities as Tinubu, Senate launch a manhunt for the killers

On Sunday, the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State’s Okuama community was the target of a violent attack that killed sixteen Nigerian Army officers. President Bola Tinubu and the Senate issued a military order to capture the assailants.

The military reportedly searched the warring communities and arrested several people, including three main suspects, on Sunday in response to the president’s order, who had previously stated that the Defence Chief and the Defence Headquarters had full authority to prosecute those responsible.

The assassins of the troops were denounced by retired generals of the army and civil society groups, who demanded their immediate capture and conviction to send a message to other criminals.

Soldiers seized the region following the killing of Army servicemen, forcing many civilians to flee on Friday. The areas in question are Okuama in the Ughelli South Local Government region and Okolaba in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.

Under Major General Jamal Abdussalam’s leadership, the Joint Task Force recovered mutilated bodies of the soldiers at the Okuama locality. He is the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army.

Twelve soldiers, including a civilian, one major, two captains, and a commanding officer were killed in the ambush that occurred on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

A communal land dispute has been going on between the neighbouring communities since January 27, 2024, when three youths from Okuama—Igho Meshack, Godspower Awusa, and Okiemute Agbabuleke—were allegedly attacked and killed by some Okoloba youths on their way back from Okwagbe. The dispute had persisted for an age.

The attackers allegedly hid the bodies of the victims. On Wednesday, a group of young people from Okuama allegedly kidnapped Mr. Anthony Aboh, a native of Okoloba.

The Okoloba community chairman notified the following agencies: the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Service, the Joint Task Force, the Divisional Police Officer, and the Bomadi Police Division.

Word on the street is that the JTF wasted no time getting to Okuama in search of the hostage.

Members of the Joint Task Force

In any case, upon spotting the JTF men near the waterfront, the enraged teenagers of Okuama allegedly opened fire, killing two soldiers and leaving others missing.

Some soldiers suffered serious bullet wounds as the situation escalated into a gun battle between the youngsters and the military.

Some of the soldiers allegedly escaped with the two injured soldiers in the subsequent skirmish; they are supposedly recovering at an unidentified Bomadi hospital.

Troops searched every corner of the Okoloba and Okuama settlements on Sunday after seizing control of the areas.

Threatens Punishment: Tinubu

In a statement that he personally signed, Tinubu responded to the news by saying, “The cowardly culprits guilty for this horrific act will not go unpunished.”

“Statement on the killing of Nigerian soldiers on a peace mission to Okuoma community in Delta State” is the title of the response.

Tinubu issued further orders to search for and punish those responsible, despite the fact that the military’s highest leadership was already reacting to the situation.

The President spoke on the delegation of authority to the Defence Headquarters and Chief of Defence Staff, saying that they have been given complete power to prosecute those responsible for the unspeakable crime committed against the Nigerian people.

“As the Commander-in-Chief, I join all well-meaning Nigerians and the men and women of our armed forces to mourn and convey my great grief over the untimely death of our heroic warriors,” he added.

Additional words of condolence were offered to the families, coworkers, and loved ones of the dead troops.

In the aftermath of the tragic deaths of twelve troops, two army majors, and the 181st Battalion commanding officer, the Senate sent its condolences to the military.

Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Nigerian Army, expressed his condolences to the military chiefs for the death of their comrades in a statement that he personally signed.

He expressed the deepest condolences on behalf of the 10th Senate Committee on Nigerian Army for the tragic loss of gallant personnel killed mercilessly by youths during a peace mission to Okuoma Community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday, March 14, 2024. The Nigerian Army, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, and officers and men of Operation Delta Safe are all deeply affected by this tragedy.

We will never forget the 12 soldiers, three officers, one commanding officer who gave their lives during this tragic event. We will be always inspired by their legacy of bravery, devotion, and sacrifice, which exemplifies the noblest virtues of patriotism.

Investigations into the incident that resulted in the horrific deaths of the troops have the steadfast backing of the Senate, as Senator Yar’Adua has also promised.

“I want to praise the quick action of the Chief of Defence Staff in ordering an immediate investigation to catch the people accountable for this horrible crime,” he continued. The perpetrators of this heinous conduct must be held accountable for their actions; the execution of justice must ensue.

A tribute to the resiliency and commitment of our Armed Forces is the Nigerian Army’s constant emphasis on maintaining national security.

When it comes to seeking justice for the dead heroes, the Senate Committee on the Nigerian Army stands firmly behind the Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Army. Those guilty of this atrocity will face the full weight of justice because we will not stop until we have supported all appropriate investigations and judicial proceedings. “

Deaths of ex-generals deeply sadden

The assassinations of service members in Delta State were, in the words of a former chief of staff of the army, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, “monstrous and savage.”

According to Buratai, the perpetrators need to face severe consequences. On Sunday, Ibrahim Danfulani, head of the TY Buratai Humanity Care Foundation, released a statement in which he made the remarks.

Based on the information I gathered from Delta State, this was the most heinous and brutal massacre of Nigerian soldiers that has happened recently, he declared.

As a deterrent to others, the perpetrators should face harsh punishment. Because of the clear sacrifices they make to protect the nation, soldiers deserve our utmost respect and admiration.

The assassination of military personnel was also denounced by Maj. Gen. Garba Audu (retd), who said that the commanders of the army did not deserve to die in such a way given the sacrifices they were making.

“Nigerians, please respect our soldiers,” he admonished.

How could anyone harm the troops who were giving their lives to defend them? Audu pondered this question. This is bad. You slaughtered fifteen of them while they were negotiating a truce? “That is absolutely terrible.”

Brigadier General Bashir Adewinbi (retd.) urged the government to punish the criminals with severe measures.

Additionally, he advocated for the seizure of the contested territory from the contending factions.

The assassination of the peacekeepers in Delta state is deeply troubling, according to Adewinbi. Who can be safe from them if they can treat military personnel that way? You may remember that something similar occurred in Odi village, levelling the entire hamlet.

Among many who have denounced the massacre of military personnel in Delta state is Peter Obi, a presidential contender for the Labour Party in the 2023 elections.

It will be too much of a burden to bear to kill our security officers who put their lives on the line for the security of the nation’, Obi said on his X handle, adding, “For a nation already facing a high level of insecurity.”

Senator from Delta, Rep.

Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, who represents the Delta South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, also spoke out against the brutal killing of the 16 troops, describing the land dispute as “a crisis carried too far.”

While expressing his condolences to the military and the families of the fallen troops, Thomas—who doubles as the vice chairman of the Senate committee on defense—made the announcement in a statement released in Warri, Delta State.

Another lawmaker from Delta State, Nicholas Mutu, who represents the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, spoke out against Thursday’s massacre of 16 troops by angry locals.

But he took issue with how the press twisted the facts to pin the soldiers’ deaths on Ijaw militias in the Ijaw town of Okoloba in Delta state’s Bomadi Local Government Area.

In his statement, he criticised the needless and humiliating execution of 16 troops from the Nigerian Army, including a lieutenant colonel, two majors, and a captain, who were on a peacekeeping mission in the Urhobo village.

Femi Falana, a senior advocate in Nigeria and a human rights lawyer, called on the federal government to stop the Nigerian Army from retaliating in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta state on Sunday.

Falana demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and urged the military to end the killing of civilians in a statement.

“Unfortunately, last night irate soldiers attacked some villages,” Falana stated. During the nighttime military incursion that followed the strike, the villages were burned to the ground.

“The authorities ought to have taken necessary precautions to prevent the attack and burning of the afflicted villages, given the destruction of Odi and Zaki Biam over the killing of soldiers.”

Charismatic spiritual leaders condemn the beheadings

Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International’s country director, strongly denounced the police shootings, saying that they proved the security situation was “going out of control.”

When prosecuting those in custody, he emphasised that the military must adhere to human rights rules.

The military has conducted internal military operations in 32 states in the past decade or more. This is unprecedented, and it demonstrates how widespread and out of control the insecurity is.

Concerning the events in Delta, we denounce the murder of sixteen service members and urge the government to conduct an investigation and ensure that those accountable face a fair trial.

“And when we do that, we will constantly remind the military to do it in accordance with the human rights rules and procedures that govern their rule of engagement,” he stated.

The incident exposed the Army’s inadequacy in gathering intelligence and required safeguards for its people, according to Debo Adeniran, Chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership. Adeniran further stated that the situation demonstrated the weak state of national security.

He sternly warned the nation’s intelligence agencies to stop being reactive and start being proactive, and he pleaded with the president and chief executive to reinvigorate the security architecture.

If an attack were to occur elsewhere in the country, one would expect the army and other security services to come to the rescue, but this proves how weak the system is, he said.

It is really repugnant when even the military knows there is a security risk in a certain area but goes there nevertheless unprotected. I don’t understand why they dare to face the enemy marauders who slaughtered them carelessly, beheaded some, and dismembered the others.

They had ample time to cause harm, according to the report. Without equivocation, this indicates that the army as a whole has failed. Our military and intelligence agencies have failed in their duties of protecting the country and its citizens by not adequately ensuring their safety and acquiring critical intelligence.

“No one is secure anymore if members of the armed forces can be brutally killed. Therefore, we can advise the Chief of the Military to reinvigorate the nation’s security apparatus. All relevant intelligence organisations, including the DSS and the Directorate of Military Intelligence, need to step in and take immediate action. Instead of reacting, they need to take the initiative.

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko also issued a statement denouncing the murder.

The horrific murder of numerous Army officers in a region of Delta State by a group of armed thugs is a heinous crime and an act of terrorism that we, the HURIWA, denounce with the strongest possible words.

“This is absolutely heartbreaking and disgusting, to put it mildly. It is our sincere desire that everyone responsible for this terrorist attack gets apprehended and held accountable.”

Warning that the Nigerian military’s actions could result in a recurrence of the Odi tragedy, David Emeneh, an elder statesman of the Urhobo people, has accused the troops of mass murder and arrest killings.

In a phone chat with The PUNCH, Emeneh asserted that, instead of pursuing the criminals responsible for the crime, troops had started attacking innocent community members.

“Nobody will protest about mass arrests if they entail killings in the neighbourhood, but that’s not happening right now,” he stated. The prospect of troops storming a neighbourhood and opening fire is appalling.

Today in Okuama the same thing is transpiring as it did in Odi. Taking matters into one’s own hands due to the actions of a few becomes problematic. It is a terrible sign when criminals target a certain region and cause chaos, and the military uses that as an excuse to exterminate the entire population.

In a similar vein, Prince Pureheart Kpeyi, president of the Urhobo Youth Association, has stated that the area is a peaceful one and has urged that individuals should not be measured by the behaviour of a small number.

Speaking to The PUNCH over the phone on Sunday, Kpeyi said that the association was confident in the state governor and others in charge to investigate the situation thoroughly; he also hinted that false information may have triggered the regional conflict.

The Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ijaw peoples are all brothers in his eyes, he declared. Unity is ours. As you have been diligently investigating the matters, you will have noticed that there is some false information floating about. It’s impossible for anything else to have caused this kind of situation. There has been relative calm in these areas for a long time.

Chief Edwin Clark, who is also the national leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, has also denounced the execution of the troops.

A complete inquiry must be conducted, Clark said on Sunday, describing the killings as a “dastardly act” and emphasising that no holy cows should be spared.

Chief Dr. Edwin Clark, OFR, CON, National Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Elder Statesman, has received news of the killing of senior military officers and soldiers at Okuama Community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta on Saturday, 14th March, 2024, with shock and total condemnation, according to the statement.