Senate Reacts To Killing Of Soldiers In Delta, Backs Tinubu’s Decision On Perpetrators

The Senate has described the killings of 16 personnel of the Nigerian Army by armed groups during a peace mission to the Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State as barbaric.

Naija News reports that on Thursday last week, one commander, two Majors, one Captain, 12 soldiers, and one civilian lost their lives in the ambush which happened in the Delta community.

Following the killings, mutilated bodies of the soldiers were recovered by the Joint Task Force under the supervision of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, at the Okuama community.

Many residents of Okuama in the Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okolaba in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, fled the communities on Friday, as soldiers took over the area after the killing of the Army personnel.

Reacting to the development, the Senate, through its spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, on Monday, condemned the attack and expressed condolence to the deceased families.

The Senate also backed President Bola Tinubu’s decision to arrest the perpetrators while urging Nigerians to give the soldiers maximum cooperation, prayers and support.

The statement reads, “The Nigerian Senate has received with sadness the gruesome and unthinkable killings of 15 personnel of the Nigerian Army by armed groups during a peace mission to Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday, March 14, 2024. This is a perfidious height of a barbaric and heinous crime.

“The Nigeria Armed Forces need our maximum cooperation, prayers, and support at this trying period in our nation, as they conduct operations all over the country to restore peace and stability in troubled locations.

“We salute the courage of the departed military men as they have paid the supreme price performing the ultimate act of service to the nation.

“The Senate leadership and all Distinguished Senators of the 10th Senate condemn this attack and convey their deepest condolences to the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army, officers and men of Operation Delta Safe as well as the families of all the personnel who have lost their lives.

“We consequently support the President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s charge to the security authorities to smoke out the undesirable outlaws who put off the glowing lights of those promising officers and men.”