The 17 soldiers killed by militant youths in Okuama Delta State were on Wednesday laid to rest at the Military Cemetery in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau representing Senate President, Speaker of the House of RepresentativesTajudeen Abbas with top military brass led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa and Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Taored Lagbaja, attended the event.
The ceremony began with prayers started by the Catholic led by Col M. Dogo; followed by the Protestant Chaplain Director and finally the Deputy Director Islamic Lt.-Col. MA Abbas.
They all prayed for the peaceful repose of their souls and their respective families and fortitude to bear the loss.
This is followed by a last salute and a minute silence was also observed by all the guests present for the burial.
The Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja paid respect to the fallen heroes, while others returned with disability, adding that “when soldiers die in the line of duty, it is for the nation’s just cause.”
He said when soldiers are murdered by the people they are protecting, it is highly demoralizing, despicable, barbaric to commit, saying the soldiers were murdered while on a legitimate and peace mission.
Gen. Lagbaja said the Nigerian Army would not be deterred with the killings of the 17 soldiers saying they would honor the fallen heroes by keeping their legacies.
He vowed that the killers of the soldiers would be fished out and prosecuted and justice would be served.
Speaking also, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa paid glowing tributes to the fallen soldiers, saying the death would not be in vain.
He said “we are not here to mour, but to celebrate tem. We are gathered as a nation in sorrow.”
Then the remains of the soldiers were each lowered into their individual graves at about 5:50pm.
The 21 gun salutes for the fallen heroes then followed, thus bringing an end to the burial ceremony.
The slain soldiers include Lieutenant Colonel AH Ali – commanding officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion; Major SD Shafa, Major DE Obi, Captain U Zakari, Ssgt Yahaya Saidu, Cpl Yahaya Danbaba, Cpl Kabiru Bashir and L.Cpl. Bulus Haruna.
The rest are LCpl Sole Opeyemi, LCpl Bello Anas, LCpl Hamman Peter, LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi, Pte Alhaji Isah, Pte Clement Francis, Pte Abubakar Ali, Pte Ibrahim Adamu and Pte Adamu Ibrahim.
The killings of the soldiers had attracted national outrage from authorities and different quarters in Nigeria. Tinubu described it as an attack on the nation and ordered security agencies to arrest the culprits.
The President also said the slain military personnel will be conferred with national honours.
The Senate, host Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, as well as civil society organisations have condemned the gruesome murder of the soldiers and called for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.
