Death Of 17 Soldiers: Anger, Tension Envelop Delta Community

There is mounting anger and tension as 17 soldiers paid the supreme price for protecting two coastal communities in Delta State. 

News Rider reports that the military personnel were killed by irate youths during a communal clash over a land dispute in Bomadi and Okuama communities in Delta State on Thursday, March 14, 2024. 

The lifeless bodies of the 14 murdered soldiers were recovered in the early hours of Saturday, March 9, by the joint task force under the supervision of the General Officer Commanding 6 division Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam at Okuama community. 

Some of the recovered corpses were said to have been beheaded while the stomachs and hearts of others were ripped off.

At the NDDC jetty in the coastal Delta community, the bodies of the commanding officer and the two murdered Majors were seen floating by the river bank as others were separated on land.

It was learnt that the slain military personnel responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities before they were murdered on Thursday, March 14.

The Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who confirmed the incident, noted that the victims were surrounded by some community youths when troops of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were on a peace mission in Bomadi Local Government Area of the state.

He said: "The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities both in Delta State.

“The reinforcement team led by the commanding officer was also attacked, leading to the deaths of the commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers."

Already, the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State where the 17 soldiers were killed have been set ablaze. 

Sources revealed that some angry soldiers may have set the community on fire in retaliation for the death of their colleagues. 

Okuama community set ablaze in reprisal attack 

Arrests

About 20 suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident, just as the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa directed that the culprits be unmasked.

Musa also ordered a probe into the tragic killing of four senior officers and 13 soldiers.

Brigadier General Gusau assured the commitment of the military to its mandate of maintaining peace and security in various parts of the country.

“The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin 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.

“However, the military remains 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", he added. 

Slain Officers Unveiled

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters on Monday, March 18, released the names and pictures of its personnel killed during a communal clash in Delta state.

They consist of four officers and 13 soldiers. The officers are Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali ; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).

The soldiers are 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 Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); 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).

Army Hits Community

The Defence Headquarters has warned that there would be injurious consequences on the crime, saying that no amount of propaganda would stop the culprits from being arrested.

Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu hinted that rather than provide assistance to arrest the perpetrators of the crime, the community was dishing out propaganda.

Onyema noted that resorting to propaganda showed that the killing of troops was a communally orchestrated attack against legitimate forces.

The statement read, “The unfortunate killing of troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army, while on a peaceful and mediatory 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 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.”

Onyema insisted that no amount of falsehood would prevent those involved in the killing of the personnel from being brought to book.

He appealed to law abiding citizens to go about their activities without fear, promising that there would be no reprisal attack in the community.

“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. No amount of propaganda 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", he said.

The Army spokesperson stated that the Chief of Army of Staff, Lt Gen Toareed Lagbaja has directed that no stone should be left unturned until the perpetrators of the gruesome acts are apprehended to face the full wrath of the law.

While commiserating with the families of the officers and soldiers who lost their lives, he said that troops are determined to get to the criminals, as there would be no hiding place for them.

However, a community leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity accused the military of carrying out mass arrests and killings.

He warned that the actions of the soldiers could lead to a repeat of the Odi incident.

Recall that in 1999, the Army attacked Odi town in Bayelsa State after some soldiers were killed in the community.

The community leader alleged that soldiers had commenced targeting innocent civilians in the community rather than going after the miscreants who committed the crime.

He said, “The same thing that happened in Odi is happening in Okuama today. When people take laws into their own hands because of the mischief of a few, it becomes a problem. When miscreants go to an area and cause mayhem, and the military is taking that to wipe out an entire community, that is a bad omen.”