VIP’s Might Be Indicted In Probe Of Soldiers Massacred In Delta – Former DSS Director, Ejiofor

A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has called for a high-powered investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deployment of military personnel, including the Commanding Officer of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, on a peace-keeping mission to Delta State.

He stated this while reacting to the gruesome murder of 16 military personnel in the Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Ejiofor argued that an objective inquiry would indict some Very Important Personalities (VIP).

He stated this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday.

The former DSS director wondered why a lieutenant colonel, two majors, one captain and 13 other military personnel would be deployed to settle a land dispute.

He said, “The federal or state government should set up this or harmonise: the state government brings representatives, the federal government brings representatives to form a very high-powered, independent investigation that will come up with an objective report of what happened, because as it is now, people are scampering, some people that might be indicted in this investigation, because a lieutenant colonel, two majors cannot on their own just move out on a peace-keeping mission in a community. There is so much to this incident that must be found out.” 

He said the Nigerian Army is an interested party in the matter and should not probe the grievous incident in the oil-rich South-South state on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

The former director of the secret police urged the Federal Government and the Delta State Government to set up a “high-powered, independent investigation” to unravel the circumstances behind the deployment of 17 military personnel including the Commanding Officer of the 181 Amphibious Battalion on a peace-keeping mission to warring Bomadi and Okuoma communities engaged in a land dispute.

“The military is a party interested; they cannot undertake such investigation. By now, the Federal Government or the state government must have set up an investigative panel to look into this matter because time is running. We need to get to the root of this matter to know what really happened.”