The residents of Okuama community in the Ughelli South local government area of Delta state, where 16 soldiers were killed, have narrated their own side of what happened.
Recall that 16 troops attached to 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi local government area of Delta were killed while on peace mission, over a communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities both in the South South state.
Although the community was also attacked after the personnel killings, and the attack linked to army as reprisal attack after the incident, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said debunked the allegation.
He posited that the armed forces, being a disciplined force, comply with its rules of engagement, laws of armed conflict and respect for human rights.
According to him, the military would not be led by emotions, but by the rule of law even in the face of provocation, adding that the incident would not demoralize or deter gallant troops from carrying out their constitutional duties as expected.
However, speaking with DRTV in Warri, two Okuama residents accused the military of carrying out mass killing against residents of the community.
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Whole pleading anonymity, they said the soldiers had visited their community for a peacekeeping mission and were received in the town hall.
According to the residents, it was all fine until they asked to take the community chiefs away.
They said the soldiers reacted violently when the community insisted they leave without their chiefs.
“On the 14th of March, we were at home when some military officials came to our community. We welcomed them and they said that they wanted to walk around the community. They walked around the community and said that they wanted to have a peace talk at the town hall.
“They went to the town hall. The military men were entertained and welcomed. They (the soldiers) asked for the community chairman and community leaders. They sat with them and had a talk. After that, they asked the chairman and some community leaders to follow them.
“We said that they had had the peace talk with the leaders already so they should leave, but the soldiers insisted they had to take them away. The people said no. From there, the army turned the whole story into violence. Right there, in the community town hall, the soldiers started shooting our people there. Killed many of the young people there. People started running; some were killed instantly. Nobody expected any shooting.
“The army went and came back with more reinforcement. About twenty more people were killed immediately,” one of the residents said.
Another source said: “The army – they just changed all of a sudden and opened fire on us. Women and children died. We cannot find some of our children and our parents.
“They (the soldiers) killed over 20 of our fellow residents. Some of our buildings were razed. Many residents have fled and there are even dead bodies in the bush where we have been hiding. We want the government to come to our rescue.”
Daily Trust
