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Nigerian Army assures residents, says there will be no reprisals on Okuama community in Delta

Published

8 months ago

March 18, 2024

The Nigerian Army has assured residents of Okuama community in Delta state that there would be no reprisals after four senior officers and 12 soldiers were killed in the area.

The army reportedly set Okuama community ablaze on Sunday.

As images and videos of the incident trended on various social media platforms, many Nigerians have condemned the action, saying innocent residents would suffer.

The troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army were killed 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.

In a statement on Monday, Army spokesman Major General Onyema Nwachukwu said although the community is complicit in the dastardly act, there would be no revenge on the part of the soldiers.

He, however, urged the community members to quit resorting to ”media propaganda and shenanigans” but asked them to ”fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime…

He added: ”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.”

Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Defence Headquarters and Chief of Defence Staff to do everything possible to bring the killers to justice.

Tinubu in a statement he signed, said the incident demonstrates the dangers faced by Nigerian servicemen and women in the line of duty.

The President said that any attack on security personnel is a direct attack on the nation and the leadership of the country will not accept such a wicked act.