•Killing of military officers and men on peace mission was wild in the extreme

It shouldn’t have happened to anyone in a civilised society. But it was worse that it happened to military personnel, symbols of authority of the Nigerian state, who were on a mission to broker peace between two feuding communities. Seventeen men of the Nigerian Army, including four officers, were murdered on March 14, in Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Council Area of Delta State. The men attached to 181 Amphibious Battalion were responding to a distress call when they were ambushed and killed by persons suspected to be members of Okuama community.

Reports said Okuama and neighbouring Okoloba in Bomadi Local Council Area of Delta had been at loggerheads over territory since January, this year, when some youths from Okoloba allegedly ambushed and killed three Okuama youths over land dispute in the area. As part of the dispute, some Okuama youths reportedly ambushed an indigene of Okoloba recently and held him hostage, prompting the chairman of Okoloba community to alert security agencies and invite their intervention to rescue the hostage from Okuama community. It was apparently as part of peace efforts that the military team was in the community and was ambushed by youths who murdered them and mutilated their bodies.

President Bola Tinubu led condemnations of the killing and vowed that perpetrators won’t go unpunished. He said in a statement: “The Defence Headquarters and Chief of Defence Staff have been granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people. As the Commander-in-Chief, I join all well-meaning Nigerians and the men and women of our armed forces to mourn and express my profound grief over the needless death of our gallant soldiers.”

Other segments of the society, including legislators in the National Assembly, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, community and civil society groups as well as private individuals also deplored the killings. In a statement titled “Rest in Peace, our Fallen Heroes,” the Nigerian Army identified the victims as Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt.-Col. A.H. Ali, Majors S.D. Shafa and D.E. Obi, and Captain U. Zakari. Soldiers affected include Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu, Corporals Yahaya Danbaba and Kabiru Bashir, Lance Corporals Bulus Haruna, Sola Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Hamman Peter and Ibrahim Abdullahi. Others were Privates Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Ibrahim Adamu and Adamu Ibrahim.

Following their dastardly murder, the bodies of the victims were recovered from Okuama community by Joint Task Force soldiers under the supervision by General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Jamal Abdussalam. Recounting the circumstances of their murder, army spokesman, Major-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement: “The unfortunate killing of troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army, 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, is not only despicable but should be unreservedly condemned by all. These were troops committed to peace and security of lives and property of citizens and non-citizens alike in the Niger Delta region, murdered in cold blood by an armed youth gang of Okuama community in the most gruesome, heartless and cruel manner, and went ahead to sacrilegiously debase their remains by ripping out their hearts by the very people they were there to protect.” In his own statement, Defence spokesman, Major-Gen. Edward Buba, said the murder act was senseless and barbaric as the men were “killed in a dehumanised and unspeakable manner.” He added “Overall, there is no doubt that this is an extremely sad development and untoward activity by members of the Okuama community against troops that were there to protect them.”

We hold that the murder of the military personnel was an unfortunate act of insanity in the highest degree. Security agents came into a community to mediate peace and were not bearing arms – or if indeed they bore arms, did not use those arms – and so, their agenda couldn’t have been mistaken for proactive aggression. It was animalistic in the utmost to ambush such persons and not only kill them, but also abuse their remains. Military insiders suggested that there was more to the brutish aggression than fight over land; that because the military had been in the forefront of dislodging oil thieves in the Niger Delta, some natives unhappy about being stopped from plundering Nigeria’s resources viewed them as foes. What was at stake thus was the nation’s oil wealth and not just land tussle by two communities. If that was so, the murder act was more criminal and premeditated.

The authorities have vowed to bring the culprits to justice, and it is in national interest that this is done without fail. No one should attempt to demystify the military, the last resort of any country in times of trouble, and get away with it. Residents of Okuama and Bomadi fled the communities on the heels of the killings in anticipation of reprisal by the military, according to reports. It is commendable that the armed forces have resisted provocation unto indiscriminate reprisal and have said they are after only the killers. This is not time when the killers should be shielded in any way by community residents, who have a responsibility to decide whether they want their community back by earnestly fishing out the culprits. Political leaders also have a responsibility here: many of the youth were their supporters during electioneering and are known. It is time for proactive disclosure of their hideaways to save the larger community.

A major part of Nigeria’s security challenge is lack of enough security personnel, and here some people mindlessly wasted prized personnel in which the nation has invested so hugely. That must not go unrequited.

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