The Nigerian Senate condemned the killing of 16 soldiers in Okuama community which happened on Thursday last week while attempting to restore peace among the warring communities of Okuama and Okolobia in Bomadi Local Government Council of Delta State.
Moving the motion of Orders 41 and 51, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua representing Katsina Central Senatorial District, urged Senators to condemn in strong terms the ambush and killing of 14 soldiers, describing it as a disaster to the nation.
Yar’adua said the tragic incident led to the loss of a Commanding Officer, two majors a Captain and twelve soldiers constituting a serious threat to national security and stability of the nation.
He said: “Troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion while on a peace mission to Okuama community in Bomadi Local Government Council were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday 14th March 2024. The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and the Okoloba communities both in Delta State”
Yar’adua further pointed out that the inadequate number of Police personnel had led to the military abandoning their responsibility of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation to police responsibility of tackling internal crises, communal crises, organized crime, oil theft and others.
In his contribution, the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Dafinone Edeh Omueya while condemning the killing of soldiers, also condemned the killing of innocent souls in the military’s reprisal attack on Okuamathe community.
He feared that the matter should be carefully handled to avoid further breakdown of law and order, noting that the gruesome killing of innocent citizens has generated tension in the riverine communities of Delta State.
He pleaded with President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Army Staff, to temper justice with mercy so as not to punish the innocent people in the affected communities because of the sins of a few unscrupulous elements.
Other Senators who spoke on the matter, strongly condemned the killing of soldiers, stressing the soldiers were killed despite that there was no war.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio in his remark sustained prayers that the Senate would rely on the military’s ongoing investigation into the saga, which it believed would be thorough.
