Nigerian Senate Start Investigating Into Army Deaths In The Delta Region
Senate launches an investigation into the Delta killings while Oborevwori briefs Tinubu
The Senate on Tuesday ordered the Defense, Army, Air Force, and Navy Committees to look into the circumstances surrounding the March 14 killing of an army commander, three officers, and twelve other soldiers in Okuama, Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, by as-yet-unidentified attackers. The investigation must be completed as soon as possible.
In the meantime, Sheriff Oborevwori, the governor of Delta State, paid President Bola Tinubu a visit in Aso Rock to brief him on the occurrence.
As a result of a communal issue in the town getting worse, the soldiers—members of the 181 Amphibious Battalion—were sent on a peace mission. But unidentified gunmen ambushed and killed them in “a most horrific manner,” according to the Senate.
In addition to calling on the federal government to compensate the families of the fallen troops, the Senate observed a minute of silence in their honor.
The Senate resolution was the result of a motion of pressing national importance made by Senator Edeh Dafinone and seconded by Senator Abdulaziz Yar'Adua, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Army.
The Senate also passed a resolution urging the “Federal Government to ensure that those responsible for the soldiers' murder are identified, tried, and made to face the full wrath of the law.”
In order to relieve the army of its traditional role in national affairs, it was suggested that more police officers be hired and trained to assume responsibility for ensuring internal security.
While presiding over Tuesday's session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated that he did not think the assailants were native to the Niger Delta, speculating that they might be “mercenaries” or “not even Nigerians.”
Even in a conflict, people would take precautions to prevent killing soldiers, according to Akpabio, who spoke up during the motion's discussion.
“Supposing they are not from the Niger Delta or they are not Nigerians? I don't even believe that the killers are from the Niger Delta. We are not in a war situation. To lose 16 soldiers in one fell swoop is really worrisome,” he added.
Yar'Adua led the motion's debate and demanded justice for the fallen troops, pointing out that the occurrence made it more important to lessen the military's role in handling domestic problems.
He declared: “The army is being asked to participate in internal security management due to the fact that the police are overwhelmed. But our soldiers have now come under increasing attacks, resulting in colossal losses.”
Tolerance among Nigerians in their daily encounters is something that Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo - West) sued for, saying that “we must always ensure that in whatever we are doing, we must be tolerant of one another. It is terrible that warriors died.”
Senator Seriake Dickson, a legislator from the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, denounced the soldiers' deaths as well as apparent retaliation in the Egbomoto town of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, “where people are being killed.”
Former Senate President Ahmad Lawan (Yobe-North) made a remark, stating that the soldiers' deaths were “a big loss to Nigeria.”
We weren't prepared for what transpired — Oborevwori
According to Sheriff Oborevwori, the governor of Delta State, there will be no more attacks in the area and the people responsible for the deaths of military personnel will face consequences. He stated on Tuesday that his administration did not bargain for the events that took place in the Okuoma community of the state.
He made the statement on Tuesday while addressing reporters following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa.
However, Oborevwori offered assurances that the situation is now under control as she answered questions from reporters following the president's private meeting.
He stated: “You know the happenings in Delta State since 14th of this month and it is necessary for me to brief the Commander-in-Chief and that's what I've come to do, the full details of what happened.
“People may not have knowledge of what we're doing since I came on board, since last year we've been enjoying peace in Delta State and we commend all the security agencies, but an unfortunate thing happened last week that people who don't have the knowledge have started talking
“The two communities in question have been having issue for years and last month, on the 7th of February, they were invited by the state government; the members representing those two local governments, the council chairmen and the leaders of those communities, all agreed to work together and signed peace accord.
“What is happening now is something that we did not bargain for, but we want to assure everybody that there'll be no more attacks on the villages if there's been anyone that had happened in the past... but we know that those who are culpable will be brought to book, but the innocent citizens will not be attacked.”
When pressed on the amount of casualties and retaliatory attacks on the community, Oborevwori declined to speak, citing security concerns and his inability to discuss some things in public.
Representatives order military forces to investigate
The Nigerian Armed Forces have also been ordered by the House of Representatives to look into the circumstances behind the horrific killing of military members. This directive was given on Tuesday.
The motion on the urgent national importance of finding and apprehending the act's perpetrators was adopted before the resolution was passed. The resolution was sponsored by the Honorable Babajimi Benson, the chairman of the House Committee on Defense.
Benson brought up what he called the horrific killing of the military troops in Delta State during his main debate.
He stated: “The House further notes that the fallen soldiers were on a peaceful and mediatory mission to quell communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba Communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi LGAs of Delta State respectively when the horrific incident occurred.
“The House is aware that these military personnel were only responding to a distress call in their service to their fatherland when they were ambushed and killed on Thursday.
“The House is distressed that the perpetrators of this heinous act did not only stop at killing these military personnel but also went ahead to sacrilegiously debase their remains by ripping out their hearts and other body parts.”
Following a minute of silence in honor of the fallen service members, the House ordered the “Armed Forces of Nigeria to conduct a thorough and wholesome investigation into the circumstances that led to this heartless, gruesome and despicable act and work with the relevant authorities to bring all perpetrators and their collaborators to book.”
As a result, the House gave its Committee on Defense instructions to communicate with the Nigerian Armed Forces in order to ensure compliance and submit a report to the House in four weeks.
It violates human's rights to life, says The NHRC
The murderous attack of sixteen soldiers and a few civilians in Delta State on Thursday has been condemned by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which claims that it violated the right to life.
Journalists were given access to a statement signed by Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN), the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, on Tuesday. The statement stated that the commission opposes the practice of law enforcement agents being attacked and killed by resentful individuals or groups.
“Such behaviours occasion human rights violations and distrust. To this extent, it specifically amounts to violations of the right to life and dignity of human person as guaranteed under Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), and other international instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.”
The head of the NHRC stated that everyone has the right to life and personal security under section 33 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and that it is unacceptable for security agents to be killed, as has been happening in many regions of the nation.
He added that in order for law enforcement to effectively search for individuals who are breaking the law and guarantee that they are held accountable and punished accordingly, citizens must actively interact with them and work in tandem with them.
Ojukwu also pleaded with the government to set up the procedures required to apprehend the individuals responsible for the murders, prosecute all of the offenders, and stop similar incidents from happening in the future.
“We are keenly monitoring the situation and official investigation in this case to ensure that those who are behind this inhumane and wicked act are quickly arrested, prosecuted and punished in accordance with the relevant international, regional and municipal laws,” he said.
The Commission asked all parties involved, including the impacted community and the Nigerian Armed Forces, to hold off on taking any kind of action until the investigation's conclusion.
Ojukwu conveyed the Commission's sympathies to the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian military, and the families of the fallen soldiers. He also asked everyone to maintain tranquility and have faith that justice will be carried out as intended.
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