“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 of Representatives, on Tuesday, condemned the gruesome murder of 17 military officers in Okuama, Delta State, as it observed a minute silence for the soul of the military personnel killed in the horrendous incident.
The lawmakers further tasked the armed forces 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.
These resolutions were sequel to a matter of urgent national importance raised by Rep. Baba-Jimi Benson (APC, Lagos) titled “Need to investigate and apprehend perpetrators of the gruesome killing of seventeen military personnel in Delta State”
Presenting the motion Rep. Benson said the fallen soldiers were on a peaceful and mediatory mission to quell communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba Communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Delta State respectively when the horrific incident occurred.
“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 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,” he revealed.
Contributing to the motion, Rep. Francis Waive (APC, Delta) jointly condemned the attack on the military personnel but called for peace saying a lot of people have been displaced in the affected communities due to fear of retaliation by the military.
“I condemn the attack on the military personnel, the perpetrators must be brought to book, and the House Committee on Defense should lead the process. People are displaced as a result of the military onslaught, there is a need for intervention on humanitarian grounds,” he said.
Passing the motion, the House mandated the House Committees on Defense to interface with the Armed Forces of Nigeria to ensure compliance and report to the House within four weeks.
