The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, on Wednesday, advised the seven suspects accused of killing soldiers in Okuama Delta State to turn themselves in.
The CDS said those declared wanted should emulate the traditional ruler of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom in Delta State, His Royal Majesty Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, Urhukpe 1,who took the best decision by turning himself in after being declared wanted by the military in connection with the killing of 17 soldiers in the Okuama community of the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to The PUNCH, the CDS commended the decision of the monarch, the CDS said, “I’m happy with the traditional ruler who submitted himself, which is the best thing. I wish all those other ones that were in the pictures would also equally do the same.”
Giving an insight into how the hoodlums were able to overpower and kill the 17 military men, including the Commanding Officer, the CDS said the soldiers went to the community unharmed because their aim was dialogue.
He said the hoodlums, however, took advantage of that to eliminate the military personnel.
Musa said, “They were deployed legally; they were doing a legal operation and it was because the Commanding Officer felt the threat was not that high, that was why he went there and felt he could discuss with the individual. He did not go armed. If he had gone armed, he would erase everybody in that place, but he felt these were people he knew, these were Nigerians that he could talk to.
“And when he stepped up to talk to them with his team, they were rounded up and all shot, and not only shot, their body parts were cut, their hearts and private parts were removed.”
The CDS also knocked the argument from some quarters that the police, and not the military, should arrest and detain suspects.
The CDS said the military had the backing of President Bola Tinubu to arrest the suspects and recover missing weapons.
On March 14, 2024, the officers and soldiers of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were ambushed and killed by some hoodlum during a peacekeeping mission in the Okuama community.
The 17 military personnel, including four officers and 13 soldiers, were murdered during the mission.
Okuama and Okoloba communities have been embroiled in a lingering land dispute since 2023.
Last week, the military declared eight persons, including the monarch wanted in connection with the killing.
The suspects declared wanted were Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe, Reuben Baru and Igoli Ebi.
Oghenerukevwe is the Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State and the traditional ruler of Okuama.
Others are Akevwru Daniel Omotegbono, aka Amagbein, Atata Malaw David and Sinclair Oliki.
