By Ebere Inyama
The residents of Okuama, a community in Ughelli south County [a Local Governance Area] of Delta state, have abandoned their ancestral homes and fled to neighboring communities after a group of soldiers were killed in the community, which resulted in a reprisal attack by Nigerian soldiers. The Nigerian army is often dispatched to police clashes between warring communities, in the conflict-trouble nation known for radical insurgency and an epidemic of banditry.
Residents fault reprisal attacks by soldiers
Efforts to speak with the President-General of Okuama community, Mr. Akata, were futile as his mobile phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.
However, a resident of Okuama community, Mr. Bright Uzor, who spoke to TruthNigeria on Sunday March 17 2024, said the people who killed the soldiers were neither natives nor residents of Okuama community.
“I am convinced that no Ijaw man or woman can engage in such a dastardly act. The people who killed the soldiers have an ulterior motive,” Uzor said to TruthNigeria. “It is possible that enemies of the community masterminded the killing of the soldiers to make it look as if the indigenes [natives] of Okuama did it. It is a well-known fact that for some time now, Okuama and Okoloba communities have been in dispute. The two communities see each other as enemies,” Uzor said.
“I am disappointed that the Army lost focus and swallowed the bait,” Uzor went on to say. “There was no need for the military to engage in reprisal attacks by burning people’s houses. They should have waited for the outcome of their investigation before taking such action,” he added.
Another resident of Okuama community who identified herself as “Mrs. Charity” told TruthNigeria that the military, on Sunday, March 17 invaded and burned down houses in the coastal community, killing an unspecified number of people.
“On Sunday 17th March, 2024, the military came in convoys and attacked the community in the morning hours, with a helicopter hovering around the town. The attack left many people dead, and houses burned,” Mrs. Charity said. “Bodies of the slain residents are now floating on River Forcados towards the Ayakoromor community area in Burutu [County] Local Government Area. Some of the recovered bodies were brought to Bomadi on speedboat over the weekend with sympathizers weeping at the community waterfront,” Mrs Charity said.
“It is unfortunate the Nigerian army has repeated the act it did during the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, when over 2,500 civilians were killed by the military under T.Y. Danjuma in Odi town in Bayelsa state and in October 2001, when Danjuma ordered the military invasion of a community in Benue State, where thousands of people were killed and burnt beyond recognition,” she said.
Men in army uniform allegedly drew the first blood
Human rights activist and barrister Femi Falana (SAN) on March 17 accused the Nigerian military of extrajudicial killings linked to the death of the soldiers.
“Yesterday, I condemned the brutal killing of a group of military officers and soldiers in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State which occurred last week,” Falana said in a statement. “I called for the immediate prosecution of the suspects who have been arrested for their involvement in the heinous crime. I also appealed to the military authorities to prevent soldiers from unleashing reprisal attacks on the communities in Bomadi Local Government Area.”
A group of men dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms visited Okuama community in the morning hours on Thursday, 14th March, 2024, requesting to see the Community shrine and their Chief priest, according to an eyewitness from the affected community speaking to TruthNigeria on background.
“Two people, an advanced man and a boy of 15 years approached the uniformed men and asked them what their mission was but rather than responding to the questions asked by the duo, they turned their weapons on them and shot them dead, after which they shot sporadically in the air to scare away the villagers, then they left the scene unchallenged,” according to local sources who spoke to TruthNigeria on background.
Soldiers were ambushed
A few hours later, the Bomadi Division of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Army unit led by Maj. Jaffa, embarked on a rescue mission to Okuama community to free a kidnapped youth, Mr. Anthony Aboh, a native of neighbouring Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area. Mr. Aboh had been abducted as a result of the lingering land dispute between the two communities, according to locals speaking to TruthNigeria.
The commander and his men were ambushed while on their way back to the waterfront.
A civilian source from the military team narrated how the soldiers were killed.
“We were coming back to our boats after the unfruitful discussion to release the kidnapped victim of Okoloba community. Suddenly, there were rains of bullets coming from all directions and some of us managed to escape. Many people were killed during the ambush, including a former honorable member from Okoloba community, who reported the matter to the JTF.
“But the commander and other officers were held hostage and taken to an unknown destination towards the creek opposite the community,” said the source who insisted on anonymity.
Meanwhile, the lifeless body of the kidnapped youth, Mr Anthony Aboh, had been recovered floating on River Forcados near Ayakoromo community, and like other victims, he was blindfolded with hands tied behind his back”.
Also recovered floating on River Forcados in the early hours of Saturday, March 16, 2024, were lifeless bodies of 14 soldiers.
The bodies were found by soldiers of the joint task force under the supervision of the General Officer Commanding 6th Division Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, at Okuama community, in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Some of the recovered corpses reportedly were beheaded, while the stomachs and hearts of others were ripped off.
Nigerian Army issues a statement on the killing of 22 soldiers in Okuama
Earlier in a statement on Saturday, March 16, 2024, the Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, said the slain soldiers were on a rescue mission to Okuama community to free a hostage, one Mr. Anthony Aboh, allegedly abducted over the lingering land dispute between Okuama and Okoloba communities when they were ambushed and killed.
“The troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi LGA of Delta State, were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday, 14 March 2024.
“The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities both in Delta State.
“The reinforcement team led by the Commanding Officer was also attacked, leading to the death of the Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain and 12 Soldiers,” according to the statement.
Ebere Inyama is an Imo State-based conflict reporter for TruthNigeria
