Also, the candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, described the killing of the soldiers as unfortunate and unacceptable in Nigeria and any sane society.
#RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned in strongest terms the killing of 16 soldiers of the Nigerian Army in Okuama Community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State by community youths during the military officers’ peace mission.
Also, the candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, described the killing of the soldiers as unfortunate and unacceptable in Nigeria and any sane society.
SaharaReporters had reported that a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain and 12 soldiers of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.
The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who made this known in a statement on Saturday said the military officers were killed on Thursday while on a peace mission to Okuama community in the Bomadi Local Government Area of the state.
They were surrounded and killed by some youths of the community, the military noted.
Reacting to the incident, Sowore, the candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, condemned the attack and the killing but warned that no security agency/ies should engage in jungle justice.
Sowore called on the Nigerian authorities to allow an impartial investigation involving international human rights organizations into the crisis to bring those guilty to justice.
He stressed that the Nigerian Army must restrain its officers and ensure that the rights of innocent civilians are not breached carelessly as it had always done in similar cases.
On his X handle, he said, “I have been inundated with gory images of alleged militants in the Niger Delta region killing Nigerian soldiers @HQNigerianArmy in an apparent ambush, following this, there has been a disturbing number of commentaries asking the Nigerian Army to “level” the area, mostly from Nigerians enlightened enough to know that such reaction constitutes international crime, the Nigerian army predictably has gone to battle to set some of the communities ablaze.
I have been inundated with gory images of alleged militants in the Niger Delta region killing Nigerian soldiers @HQNigerianArmy in an apparent ambush, following this, there has been a disturbing number of commentaries asking the Nigerian Army to “level” the area, mostly from…
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) March 17, 2024
“While the attack of Nigerian security forces remains condemnable and unacceptable, no security agency/ies should engage in jungle justice. I call on the Nigerian authorities to allow an impartial investigation involving international human rights organizations into this crisis to bring those guilty to justice.
“However, the @HQNigerianArmy must restrain its officers and ensure that the rights of innocent civilians are not breached carelessly as it had always done in similar cases.”
Similarly, Obi called for a full-scale investigation into the incident, stressing that those behind the killing must be arrested and duly prosecuted.
Obi on his X handle said, “Just last week, several policemen were reportedly killed while on duty in Delta State. We were still recovering from the shock over such a sad occurrence when yesterday, we were besieged with the gory reports of the killing of 22 officers and men of the Nigerian Army, also in Delta State.
Just last week, several policemen were reportedly killed while on duty in Delta State. We were still recovering from the shock over such a sad occurrence when yesterday, we were besieged with the gory reports of the killing of 22 officers and men of the Nigerian Army,
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) March 17, 2024
“In both sad incidents, the dead security personnel were on active duties of securing and keeping peace within our communities, state and country before their unfortunate end, even by the people they were trying to help.
“This killing is barbaric and totally unacceptable and should not be tolerated by Nigerians and any sane society. For a nation already combatting a high level of insecurity, the killing of our security personnel who put their lives on the line for the security of the nation will be too much of a burden to bear.
“These sad occurrences and many cases of killing, kidnappings and violent crimes around the country, have continued to fuel very deep concerns over the security of the nation.
“These security operatives are making a lot of sacrifices in their line of duty, and in some cases pay the supreme price. We must therefore appreciate and value them by showing empathy towards them and ensuring healthcare for those who are wounded.
“There should be adequate compensation and welfare packages for the families of those who die in active service. All of us should always show our love by commiserating with their families and even visiting them in such difficult times.
“I sincerely condole with the families of the security personnel that died, and their security formations (Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force respectively) over the sad loss of their personnel.
“I encourage them not to be dispirited by these ugly developments but see it as a challenge to increase their efforts in their duties. I urge the government and the security agencies to leave no stone unturned in investigating, arresting and prosecuting those behind these ugly acts.”