Soldiers’ killing: Army, Delta community differ over reprisal as troops arrest 20

The Okuama community in Delta State's Ughelli South Local Government Area, where military personnel were killed, had turned to propaganda, according to the Nigerian Army on Monday.

Additionally on Monday, the names of the Army members who perished on Thursday while on a peace mission in Okuama were made public by the Defence headquarters.

Defence Headquarters vowed that there would be harmful consequences, while the military blasted the community and emphasised that no amount of propaganda would stop offenders from being apprehended.

Speaking to our correspondents under anonymity due to concerns about harassment, a community leader charged that the military was responsible for large-scale arrests and killings.

He issued a warning that the soldiers' actions might result in a recurrence of the Odi inccident.
After several soldiers were killed in the town of Odi, Bayelsa State, the Army launched an attack on the town in 1999.

The community leader accused the military, saying that instead of pursuing the criminals who had committed the crime, the soldiers had started to target innocent civilians in the community.

"Nobody will complain about mass arrests if they involve mass killings, which are still happening in the community," he stated. It is a horrible thing when soldiers storm into a community and start shooting.

"What happened in Odi is happening in Okuama right now. It becomes an issue when people enact laws on their own initiative due to the misbehaviour of a small number of people. When criminals enter a region and wreak havoc, and the military is taking that to wipe out an entire community, that is a bad omen.”
Additionally, there were rumours on Monday that residents of Okuama fled their homes as soldiers stationed there resorted to house burning.

In Bomadi and Okuoma communities in Delta State, on Thursday, a communal clash over a land dispute resulted in the deaths of at least 17 military personnel at the hands of angry youths.

On Thursday, while responding to a distress call, members of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were ambushed and killed.

After 16 soldiers, including senior officers, were killed on Friday, many residents of Okuama in the Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okolaba in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, fled their communities. Soldiers had taken control of the area and had reportedly set some houses on fire.

Late on Saturday, it was reported that soldiers from the Joint Task Force had recovered the soldiers' bodies in the Okuama community. Major General Jamal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, was overseeing the operation.

Army attacks the community

However, the Army bemoaned in a statement released by Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, that the community was spreading propaganda instead of helping to apprehend the criminals.

According to Onyema, using propaganda demonstrated that the military deaths were the result of a "communally orchestrated attack against legitimate forces."

The statement said as follows: "The regrettable deaths of soldiers from the Nigerian Army's 181 Amphibious Battalion, while on a peaceful and mediating mission, after a reported case of communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi LGAs of Delta State respectively, is not only despicable but should be unreservedly condemned by all.
These were soldiers whose mission was to maintain peace and secure the lives and property of both citizens and non-citizens in the Niger Delta Region. They were brutally murdered in cold blood by an armed youth gang from the Okuama Community, and their sacrifice continued when the very people they were supposed to defend torn out their hearts from their remains.

Sadly, instead of making a sincere attempt to track down the criminals responsible for this horrible crime, the community involved in it has turned to media manipulation and misinformation. This once more shows unequivocally that the troops' deaths were the result of a collectively planned attack on lawful forces.

Onyema pointed out that lying would not stop those involved in the killing of the personnel from being brought to book.
But he assured law-abiding citizens that there would be no retaliatory attacks in the neighbourhood, so they should proceed with their lives fearlessly.

He declared, "The lies being spread by these criminals and their allies to incite emotions and influence the public to conceal, approve, or encourage the heinous crimes committed by their armed youth gang should be completely ignored; it is merely an absurd attempt to rationalise their offence rather than turn themselves in to law enforcement." Propaganda cannot change the truth; people are complicit and will have to face the consequences of their actions.

"We urge everyone to carry on with their regular activities while continuous efforts are intensified to positively identify and isolate the criminals to account for their heinous deeds, while law-abiding citizens are reassured that there will be no retaliation on the part of the troops."

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Toareed Lagbaja, has ordered that those responsible be held accountable, according to an Army spokesperson.

He has ordered that no effort be spared until the offenders of these heinous crimes are found and brought to justice, expressing his condolences to the families of the officers and soldiers who died.

There is no hiding from the troops' determination to apprehend these offenders.
Names of the deceased personnel

On Monday, the names and images of the Defence Headquarters personnel who were killed in a communal clash in Delta state were made public.

There are 13 soldiers and 4 officers in the group. Lt Col. A.H. Ali, Commanding Officer of the 181st Amphibious Battalion, Maj S.D. Shafa (N/13976), Maj D.E. Obi (N/14395), and Capt. U. Zakari (N/16348) are the officers.

SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290); LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).

One of our reporters was informed by a military source that approximately 20 suspects including three prime suspects had been arrested, and was quick to explain that the operation to arrest perpetrators was yet to be concluded.
"The effort to apprehend the offenders is still in progress. The three main suspects in the soldiers' deaths have undoubtedly been taken into custody. Since the operation is still ongoing, I am not in possession of the precise number of people who have been arrested thus far. If I had to estimate a number, I'd say about 20," the source begged to remain anonymous owing to a lack of authorization.

Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, promised to respond to our correspondent by Tuesday.

Details will be sent to you by tomorrow, Tuesday. It's a work in progress and needs to be accurate," he said.

However, the Defence Headquarters promised on Monday that there would be severe repercussions and measured responses for killers of its personnel in Delta state.
The DHQ promised to uphold human rights laws and its rules of engagement when dealing with the offenders, according to a statement made by Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, Director of Defence Media Operations.

"The senseless and barbaric killing of these men is a tragedy," the statement said in part. They suffered a horrifying and dehumanising death. The armed forces thus lament the passing of these brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country on behalf of the CDS, Gen. CG Musa.

We offer our condolences for the tragic incident to their loved ones, families, and coworkers. They gave their lives in an attempt to bring the country back to peace.

The military was tasked with defending our country's territorial integrity and sovereignty under the terms of the Armed Forces Act and the Constitution, which must be emphasised once more.

In light of this, the armed forces are made up of people from all over the country who have sworn loyalty to defend our wonderful country by putting themselves in danger.

The military promises that those who carry out these heinous deeds will face severe repercussions and measured reactions. This being said, these provisions would temper the armed forces' ability to be a disciplined force that adheres to laws of armed conflict, rules of engagement, and respect for human rights. We would follow the rule of law rather than our feelings.
Buba refuted claims that troops in the neighbourhood had carried out retaliatory strikes in response to the incident.
He stated that the village had been abandoned prior to the military forces showing up.

Buba pleaded with people spreading untruths about the incident to stop showing disrespect for the deceased.
He urged the populace to support the armed forces in apprehending the individuals responsible for the horrible act.

"Against this backdrop, the military refutes any allegations that it launched retaliatory attacks in the Okuama community following the incident," he stated. Before the troops even reached the scene, the communit