By Akeem Oduyoye
President Bola Tinubu has vowed that killers of 17 soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State will not go unpunished but face the full wrath of the law
Speaking made this disclosure while hosting the leadership of the Senate to break the Ramadan fast at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Our armed forces are working hard, and we will not allow attackers to undermine the integrity and value of our armed forces and its leadership.
“We will continue to encourage and fight for our sovereignty, our individual rights to exist, and we will succeed in banishing poverty from our land. ”
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed that regular interactions would enhance understanding and good governance.
He also assured the President of continuous collaboration between the two arms of government.
Recall that Tinubu approved the conferment of post-houmous national honours on the slain s 17 soldiers who were killed while on a peacekeeping mission in Delta State last week.
The President made the pronouncement while breaking the Ramadan fast with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the House leadership.
The President, while expressing his heartfelt condolences to the families of the bereaved, pledged that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes would never be in vain, just as he also announced that the officers would be given a befitting burial and national honours.
”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,” the President said.
Recall than at least 16 Nigerian soldiers were killed while on a mission to douse clashes between two communities in the South-South state of Delta on Thursday 14 March, 2024.
Major General Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd.) revealed how 16 military personnel were murdered in the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
He stated that the unsuspecting soldiers were ambushed by residents of the community.
Reacting to the dastardly act, the Nigerian Army, on Monday, said the Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State where military personnel were killed, had resorted to propaganda, just as it also denied any form of reprisal on the community.
It was gathered that about 20 suspects have been arrested in connection with the dastardly act.
Also on Monday, 18 march, 2024, the Defence headquarters released the names of the Army personnel who were killed on Thursday, during a peace mission to Okuama.
The military slammed the community and stressed that no amount of propaganda would stop culprits from being nabbed, while the Defence Headquarters vowed that there would be injurious consequences.