President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said the 16 military men who killed on a peace mission in Okuama, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, would be accorded national honours and a befitting burial.
Tinubu made the declaration on Wednesday when he hosted a special Ramadan Iftar (Muslim breaking of fast) for Vice-President Kashim Shettima and House of Representatives leadership, including Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
He again condoled the families of the victims and promised that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes will never be in vain.
The President said: ‘’In responding to distress calls they met the end of their lives in a savage manner. Let us work to sympathise and symbolise the fact that they are worth the sacrifices they have made for Nigeria
‘’We salute all our men and women in uniform, and we sympathise with them. I will soon make further pronouncements but they must have a befitting burial and national honours.’’
Tinubu, who on Sunday expressed deep concern over the killings had directed the Chief of Army Staff to immediately arrest the perpetrators.
The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has also condemned the gruesome murder of the soldiers and condoled with the Federal Government.
It called for “a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of the soldiers and apprehend the perpetrators with the view to bringing them to justice.
“The Commission urges the communities to eschew all forms of violence and employ pacific means to resolve their differences and maintain communal harmony in the overall interest of all”.
Meanwhile, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and the policemen have not been able to visit Okuama Ughelli South Local Government Area due to an ongoing military operation in the troubled community, the state Police Commissioner Abaniwonda Olufemi said.
“Since that incident (killing of officers and men of the Nigerian Army in Okuoma) happened, it has become what I call a military operation zone. We have not been able to move into that community,” Olufemi told a national television station yesterday.
Four officers and 12 soldiers were ambushed and killed a week ago by youths suspected to be indigenes of the Ijaw community.
The soldiers were said to have gone to Okuama to settle a land dispute between the community and its neighbour, Okoloba.
Olufemi added that “few individuals who have been brought in” were being quizzed over the killings.
Before visiting the President on Tuesday over the development, Governor Oborevwori said the troubled community had been deserted.
