A thorough investigation is to be carried out into the deaths of two Okuama community leaders, Pa James Oghoroko and Dennis Okugbaye, while in Army custody.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, gave the order according to the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau.
Gusau said the CDS gave the assignment to the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army to establish the allegations and submit a report by Monday.
Gusau who was speaking during the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee end-of-year briefing, said, “Regarding allegations of deaths in detention over the weekend, headlines surfaced suggesting that individuals detained in connection with the Okuama incident had died.
“Immediately, the CDS directed an investigation to be conducted by the 6 Division. Any moment from now, we expect the findings on whether the claims are true or not. For now, these remain allegations.
“We are committed to uncovering the truth, and by tomorrow, we will have more details.”
Oghoroko, the President-General of the Okuama community, and 81-year-old Okugbaye, the community’s treasurer, reportedly died six days apart after being detained by the military.
The duo along with four others — Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs. Mabel Owhemu, and Mr. Dennis Malaka — were arrested during a military operation conducted between August 18 and 20, 2024.
The arrests followed the killing of 17 soldiers on March 14, 2024, during a peace mission aimed at resolving a dispute between Okuama and the neighbouring Okoloba community.
