ASHENEWS reports that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for an investigation into the recent killing of soldiers by civilians in the Okuama community in Ugehlli South local government area of Delta state.
The ECOWAS, in a communique issued on Wednesday in Abuja, urged the government to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.
“The Commission calls on the authorities to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of the soldiers and apprehend the perpetrators with the view to bringing them to justice.
“The Commission urges the communities to eschew all forms of violence and employ pacific means to resolve their differences and maintain communal harmony in the overall interest of all,” ECOWAS said.
This online platform reports that the military personnel were killed last week after a peace mission to the community.
The DHQ, days after the gruesome murder, had said 17 personnel including the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain, and 12 personnel of the battalion were among those killed.
The army had later been accused of carrying out a reprisal attack, an accusation which it had denied.
The Defence Headquarters has released the names of those killed in the community. They are as follows:
- Lt Col AH Ali, the Command Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion, Nigerian Army.
- Maj SD Shafa (N/13976)
- Maj DE Obi (N/14395)
- Capt U Zakari (N/16348)
- SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974)
- Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274)
- Col Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853)
- LCol Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844)
- Lal Sole Opeyemi (17NA/760719)
- LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290)
- LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653)
- LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191)
- Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079)
- Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911)
- Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162)
- Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079)
- Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).
