Soldiers on reprisal attack set fire on Okuama community
There are some worrisome twists that are filtering into the open on the bloodletting and arson rocking Okuama community in Delta State.
Disturbingly, the military and aggrieved communities in the Niger Delta, Nigeria’s vastly polluted oil and gas region, do not appear to have learnt any lesson from the Odi Massacre that took place more than 24 years ago in Bayelsa State with the latest Okuama crisis.
That notwithstanding, some key questions are begging for answers on the avoidable mess in Okuama.
Okuama is not a notable community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta. Though the community has been razed by soldiers, it is where 16 of their colleagues and officers were brutally killed on Thursday by some irate youths.
Ughelli South is made up of six Urhobo kingdoms namely: Ughievwen,Otor, Eghwu Arhavwarien, Effurun , Okparabe and Olomu. Otu Jeremi is its headquarters, and the fourth most populated local government area in Delta.
Known towns and villages in Ughelli South are Ewu, Imode (village), Egbo-Uhurie, Ophorigbala, Ekakpamre, Otokutu, Ekrejegbe, Ekrokpe, Eyara, Oginibo, Urhiephron, Okwagbe, and Olomu
However, the murdered soldiers included a Commanding Officer, two majors, one captain and 12 soldiers. Their lifeless bodies have since been recovered by officers of a Joint Task Force under the supervision of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, at the Okuama community.
Some of the recovered corpses were said to have been beheaded, while the stomachs and hearts of others were allegedly ripped off.
At the NDDC jetty in the coastal community, the bodies of the commanding officer and the two majors were said to be seen floating by the river bank as others were separated on land.
The killed military personnel were said to be responding to a distress call after a communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities, where they met their death on Thursday.
A suspicious Urhobo Media Practitioners Advocacy Group (UMPAG), is calling on the Delta State Government and the Nigerian Army to urgently constitute a joint panel of enquiry to unravel the cause and what led to the killing of the soldiers on a “peace mission” to Okuama and Okoloba communities.
Secretary of the group, Okpare Theophilus Onojeghen, and
Onitsha Ogaga Shedrack, an Executive member, in a statement, are demanding that the panel probe the following areas:
What was the true mission of the soldiers to Okuama and Okoloba communities?
Was the Ovie (King) of Ewu Kingdom and her subjects informed of the military visit on a peace mission?
Was the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, informed of the peace mission?
Why did the situation report come from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bomadi, and not the DPO of Otu-Jeremi?
Why would the military, stationed in Bomadi, embark on a peace mission to Okuama in Ughelli South, without the involvement of the DPO Otu-Jeremi, and local government officials?
Why was the military peace mission escorted by Ijaw youths, and how come, the civilian members of the peace mission survived to tell the story, yet no military man survived?
If the King, President-General, DPO of Otu-Jeremi, local government officials were not involved, who were those to sign the peace accord?
Where did the community source such sophisticated weapons to wage such a war against the military men, and why were the police, DSS and other sister security agencies not involved in the military peace mission to Okuama?
Why was the military peace mission only for the Okuama community?
From reports, the bodies of the slain military personnel were recovered from the Forcados River. Who dumped their bodies in the river, and how are we sure that it is not the warlords from neighbouring areas that are responsible for the attack on the soldiers?
Was Okuama and Okoloba at war for 16 soldiers to be gruesomely killed in less than 24 hours?
Who were the civilians that took the military to Okuama as quoted in the report by Sunday Bomadi Chancel who earlier claimed that over 22 soldiers were killed? Who were the Ijaw civilians who accompanied the soldiers to Okuama? How come they survived while the soldiers were killed?
“As media professionals, we are mediators and peace advocates; we are therefore calling on our people in Okuama community and our Ijaw brothers in Okoloba community to maintain the existing peace, while the government and the military get to the root of this tragedy.
“We use this medium to call on the military to refrain from assaulting peace and law-abiding citizens of the area in the face of the recent development. We also urge parties involved in the communal crisis to refrain from making unguarded statements so as not to fuel the crisis”, the Urhobo media group says.
However, while confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, said the victims were surrounded by some community youths when troops of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were on a peace mission in the Bomadi Local Government Area of the state.
“The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities both in Delta State”, the statement read.
While adding that a reinforcement team led by the commanding officer was also attacked, leading to the deaths of the commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers, the defence spokesman said the incident has been reported to the state government, pointing out that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has also directed that the culprits be unmasked.
According to him, some suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident. He also reiterated the commitment of the military to its mandate of maintaining peace and security in various parts of the country.
“The CDS, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has directed the immediate investigation and arrest of those involved in the heinous crime. The occurrence has been reported to the Delta State Government.
“However, the military remains focused and committed to its mandate of maintaining peace and security in the country. So far, a few arrests have been made while steps in place to unravel the motive behind the attack.”
In the meantime, the Odi massacre was an attack carried out on November 20, 1999, by the military against the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa. The attack came in the context of the conflict in the oil region over indigenous rights to oil resources and environmental protection.It was estimated that over 900 civilians were killed in that attack.
Generally, people say that the massacre was ordered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. While the razing of Okuama was not ordered by President Bola Tinubu, two of the incidentally Yoruba, the military often defended its action claiming it was ambushed on its way to Odi. As a result, tensions rose before entrance into the village.
Before the Odi massacre, 12 personnel of the Nigeria Police were murdered by a gang in Odi, seven on November 4 and the remainder in the following days. In retaliation, the military decided to invade the village.
Every building in the town except a bank, the Anglican church and a health centre was burned to the ground.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international rights group, concluded that “the soldiers must certainly have killed tens of unarmed civilians and that figures of several hundred dead are entirely possible.”
Nnimmo Bassey, currently the Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) but then of Environmental Rights Action (ERA), claimed that nearly 2,500 civilians were killed. Abuja initially put the death toll at 43, including eight soldiers.
The Assault on Odi
An Odi indigene who was interviewed by HRW in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on December 4, 1999 queried, “why would any government use such excessive force and endanger the lives of so many innocent citizens of Nigeria for the sake of arresting between ten and thirty criminals? It makes no sense.”
But, Special Adviser to President Obasanjo on Media and Publicity, the late Dr. Doyin Okupe, at a press conference in Abuja, on November 29, 1999 said, “I wish to make it categorically clear that government, by this act, has not violated any internationally acceptable human rights provisions as practiced elsewhere in the developed world. …
“How can it be said that a carefully planned and cautiously executed exercise to rid the society of these criminals is a violation of human rights?”
At around 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 20, 1999, four days before the expiry of the 14-day deadline for the declaration of a state of emergency, and while the then Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was attending the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) convention in Abuja, a large number of soldiers under the command of a Colonel approached the town of Odi, a village of some 15,000 people.at the time.
HRW said eyewitnesses reported to it that the soldiers were transported in more than 20 vehicles, including several armoured personnel carriers (APCs) mounted with machine guns.
Media reports indicated that around 2,000 soldiers were deployed, though a spokesperson for the Second Amphibious Brigade, which was involved in the action and was based in Port Harcourt, told the BBC that not more than 300 troops were engaged.
However, some Okuama people have denied the killing. They are alleging that hundreds of persons were killed on Thursday and Friday by persons wearing Army uniforms who invaded their community.
An indigene of Okuama community, Onajite Idiaphoro, in an interview with a local correspondent said the men who invaded the community with a Tantita gunboat burnt all the houses in the community.
“We were holding a regular community meeting on Thursday when some men in army uniforms, carried by Tantita gun boats invaded the meeting demanding to see our community chairman.
“As soon as our chairman was identified, the men said that they were taking him to Bomadi for questioning. But the community women resisted the approach because Okuama is under Ughelli South Local Government Area and the chairman did not commit any crime nor the community that demanded military invasion.
“The men started shooting, killing two persons instantly and injuring many persons before driving away.”
Idiaphoro said that after the first shooting, residents of the community, especially the men, started moving out fearing the worst could happen later.
“After four hours later, the men came back with many gunboats, shooting sporadically into the community and killing many persons including women and children before burning houses.
“Our people are mere fishermen and potato farmers. They don’t have guns to fight, talk less of killing a whole 15 army officers.
Okuama community has been at the receiving end of the crisis with Okoloba as former NIMASA boss, Patrick backed by a former militant leader, Tompolo has boys to kill us.”
The people of Okuama community are calling on President Tinubu, Governor Oborevwori, and the Chief of Army Staff to immediately halt the invasion of their community and set up a panel of inquiry to unravel the true killers of the soldiers.
Governor Oborevwori on Saturday, condemned in very strong terms, the unprovoked killing of officers and soldiers attached to 63 Brigade at Okuama community.
While consoling with the military and the families of officers and soldiers who died in the attack, Oborevwori, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, said “the Government of Delta State is gravely disturbed by the violence and unprovoked killing of the officers and soldiers, which he described as alien to the culture of Deltans.
“This incident is despicable and not in sync with the culture and tradition of Deltans. It runs contrary to the values and path of peace that the state government is promoting as I have always emphasized in our MORE Agenda to enhance peace and security.
“On behalf of the government and good people of Delta, I wish to condole, in particular, the families of the killed gallant officers and soldiers, the Nigerian Army and the armed forces of Nigeria in general, over this sad occurrence.
“The state government shall take all measures necessary to fish out all those behind this dastardly act and ensure they are made to face the full wrath of the law. Delta is governed within the tenets of the rule of law and human decency. Acts such as this incident cannot and will not be tolerated.
“Meanwhile, all citizens and residents of the state are enjoined to remain law- abiding and the state government shall continue to take all measures to protect lives and property in Delta.”
Already, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), is calling on General Musa, the CDS, to stop armed soldiers from destroying Okuoma following the wicked killing of 16 soldiers.
“We actually thought that the current CDS would set a good example of being the one in power when the military as an institution puts to an end the use of reprisal and violent revenge against communities where soldiers are killed by hoodlums.
“Unfortunately, our worst fears have happened with reports of soldiers setting on fire all the buildings at Okuoma the crime scene some officers and men of the army were killed by gangsters.
“The reported extralegal killing of three young men of Okuoma community by soldiers on reprisal mission is absolutely intolerable, reprehensible and primitive and is hereby totally deprecated just as we are calling on the President to call the service chiefs to order so they do not continue to kill civilians upon any provocative attacks on soldiers by gunmen.
“What the rule of law demands is that those who killed those soldiers are to be arrested, prosecuted and sanctioned. But going after the entire community by setting on fire this unlucky community that is also a victim of unwarranted violence, is unconstitutional, illegal and treacherous”, says HURIWA in a statement.
Quoting sources in the media, the group said that the gunmen wearing military fatigue stormed the community around 8am and started shooting at anyone in sight, thus leaving three killed while several victims injured are currently receiving treatment in a hospital in the state.
It said troops suspected to be men of the Nigerian Army on Friday, March 15, 2024, while chanting war songs, carried out what could be termed genocide on the innocent citizens of the community by setting their buildings ablaze.
A youth from Okuama, who did not want his name in print speaking on the invasion said, “our people woke up on Wednesday to see our community surrounded by men in military uniform numbering over 60, and without provocation, they started shooting and caused the death of three promising youths of the community with several others sustaining gunshot injuries.
“The same military men repeated their genocide actions on innocent and law-abiding citizens of the Okuama community on Friday, March 15, 2024, bringing many buildings to rubble. As I speak, the number of persons who died in the barbaric attack cannot be ascertained as many aged men, women and youths fled into the nearby bushes and we suspect that some women and children might have drowned, because many ran into the river out of panic.”
While reacting against the backdrop of the alleged reprisal attacks on Okuoma by soldiers, HURIWA said it is increasingly becoming the practice especially in Southern Nigeria by the army that whenever their men are killed, the community in which this unfortunate incident occurs, usually come under unwarranted and vicious violence but it is not the same whenever similar killing of soldiers occur in Northern Nigeria.
HURIWA is calling on the army chief of staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, to explain to Nigerians the rationale behind carrying out reprisal attacks by soldiers on Southern communities but the same doesn’t occur if soldiers are killed by terrorists in the North.
“We wonder why the discriminatory implementation of the unlawful conduct of carrying out reprisals by the military on the basis of regions. Whilst we do not support reprisals by soldiers, we condemn in a very strong manner the unlawful criminal act of burning down Okuoma community by soldiers on reprisal mission in Delta.
“Those soldiers who carried out this terrorist attack on this community should be treated also just as those terrorists that shot and killed over one dozen soldiers and senior officers in Okuoma community of Delta.”
President Tinubu has even said that his administration will not condone the brutal killing of 16 soldiers in Delta by irate youths.
He said so on Sunday in a statement he personally signed.
Tinubu declared that the ambush that killed the soldiers, including two Majors, one Captain, and 12 other troops, as well as one civilian, amounted to “a direct attack on our nation.”
President Tinubu who expressed his profound grief over the needless death of the soldiers, noted that the military high command is already responding to the unfortunate incident and that the cowardly offenders behind the heinous crime will not go unpunished.
“On Saturday morning, the Nigerian people and I woke up to the dreadful news of the unprovoked killing of our brave military personnel during a rescue mission in Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
“The incident occurred on Thursday, March 14, 2024, when our troops, responding to a crisis between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta State, were ambushed. A Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain, and twelve soldiers sadly lost their lives. One civilian was also killed.
“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.
“I extend my profound condolences to the families of these fallen soldiers, their colleagues, and their loved ones. The military high command is already responding to this incident. The cowardly offenders responsible for this heinous crime will not go unpunished.
“This incident, once again, demonstrates the dangers faced by our servicemen and women in the line of duty. I salute their heroism, courage, and uncommon grit and patriotism.
“As a nation, we must constantly remember and honour all those who have paid the ultimate price to keep our nation safe, strong, and united. The officers and men who died in Okuama community have joined the pantheon of great men and women who gave their all, with honour, in the service of our fatherland.
“Members of our armed forces are at the heart and core of our nationhood. Any attack on them is a direct attack on our nation. We will not accept this wicked act.
“The Defence Headquarters and CDS have been granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people.
“My government will not relent until we achieve peace and tranquility in every part of Nigeria. May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and keep members of our armed forces safe”, Tinubu’s statement says.
Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark,
an elder statesman, says he received with shock and total condemnation the killing of senior military officers and soldiers at Okuama on Saturday.
Clark says he is personally pained by the fact that this occurred barely two days after he had spoken with the Commanding Officer of 181 Battalion in connection with preparations for the burial of his younger brother, retired Colonel Bernard Clark, who was buried just on Friday, March 15.
This dastardly act, according to him, “is totally unacceptable and must be fully investigated. There must be no sacred cows, the culprits must be brought to book as early as possible.
“PANDEF mourns the slain military personnel and commiserates with all the families and the entire Nigerian Army.
“PANDEF further urges the Nigerian Army and other security personnel around the country to continue with their great national service and not to be deterred by this present sad development.”
