The resident who appeared to be in his mid-20s claimed that the deceased soldiers were on the mission to protect the interest of the Niger Delta warlord, popularly known as Tompolo.
A resident of Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State has alleged in a viral video that the 16 soldiers who were killed in the community did not come for peacekeeping.
Zoo country 🤣😂🤣🤣
Break up now and save lives
This is the boy behind the killing of soldiers in Delta state. You can hear him speak, pic.twitter.com/AsvnNFjXNv
— KOIKIMEDIA (@KoikiMedia) March 21, 2024
The resident who appeared to be in his mid-20s claimed that the deceased soldiers were on the mission to protect the interest of the Niger Delta warlord, popularly known as Tompolo.
The resident said: “Okuama and Okoloba have land issues but Ijaw people whom the federal government have given power to go after bunkery are using the Army to guide their products to the point of sales. They used the Army to pick people from Okuama community.
“The three people taken were slaughtered, and now they are coming back to pick community leaders and you know that once community leaders are captured; the youths are powerless.
“Those soldiers were not in Okuama for peacekeeping, they were fighting in favour of Tompolo who ordered them to do so.”
His claim has contradicted the assertion of the Nigerian Army that the troops of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were on a peaceful and mediatory mission after a reported case of a communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi Local Government Areas of Delta State, erupted.
The soldiers were said to have been ambushed and murdered in cold blood by an armed youth gang of the community, in the most sacrilegious manner.
A Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain and twelve soldiers and a civilian were killed during the incident.
President Bola Tinubu had also announced that there would be a befitting burial for the 16 soldiers.
Tinubu, who made the pronouncement on Wednesday while breaking the Ramadan fast with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the House leadership, also approved the conferment of post-houmous national honours on the slain soldiers.