Okuama Crisis: Do Not Take Revenge, Reps Calls Military
The military was urged by the House of Representatives on Tuesday to desist from taking revenge on innocent Deltans following the deaths of their colleagues.
The 17 military troops were slain following a peace mission last week in Okuama, a town in Delta State’s Ughelli South Local Government Area.
The house expressed concern that the incident would demoralize the military while debating a resolution by Hon. Babajimi Benson that was of urgent national importance.
A sealed letter was sent to the military requesting that they uphold the law and “avoid further retaliation.” The House made this appeal.
The legislators ordered the security authorities to launch a comprehensive inquiry to hold the guilty parties accountable and observed a minute of silence for the fallen soldiers.
In order to prevent a further escalation, the House Committee on Defence will also oversee the investigation and reconciliation procedure.
A few days following the horrific killing, the Defence Headquarters announced that 17 people had died, including the 181 Amphibious Battalion’s commanding officer, two majors, a captain, and 12 battalion members.
Following the killing, the Okuama community was razed however, the Nigerian Army assured residents of the area of no reprisal attacks.
“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,” it said.
The Defence Headquarters released the following names as those killed:
– Lt Col AH Ali, the Command Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion, Nigerian Army.
– Maj SD Shafa (N/13976)
– Maj DE Obi (N/14395)
– Capt U Zakari (N/16348)
– SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974)
– Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274)
– Col Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853)
– LCol Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844)
– Lal Sole Opeyemi (17NA/760719)
– LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290)
– LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653)
– LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191)
– Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079)
– Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911)
– Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162)
– Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079)
– Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).
