Group Demands Justice for Soldiers Killed in Delta

. Activist cautions against politicising probe

Gideon Arinze in Enugu and Sylvester Idowu in Warri

A non-partisan organisation, Nigeria’s Peace and Development Advocates (NPDA) has called on the federal government to ensure that a thorough investigation is carried out to unmask those behind the gruesome killing of 17 soldiers at Okuama, a community in Delta State.

Similarly, a peace and development advocate, Chief Mulade Sheriff, has urged the federal government to ensure the independent investigation into the killing of 17 military is carried out without political interference at any level.

Addressing a news conference in Enugu yesterday, the National Coordinator of the NPDA, Mr. Chukwunonye Okereke, said that anyone found culpable should be made to face the wrath of the law, no matter how highly placed.

“If anyone found culpable is currently enjoying immunity, that such person should be stripped of his immunity with immediate effect and all his security details withdrawn as the person cannot declare war against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and still enjoys the protection of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, Okereke said.

While calling for a state of emergency to be declared on any territory that has wittingly or unwittingly taken up arms against the Nigerian state, the group noted that what is going on in Niger Delta is mindless criminality of oil bunkers.

“The mousing owls have begun to hawk on our gallant officers to give way for their continued divestments of our collective patrimony in the Niger Delta and it is unacceptable,” he said.

Meanwhile, a peace and development advocate, Chief Mulade Sheriff, has urged the federal government to ensure the independent investigation into the killing of 17 military officers in Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government area of Delta State is carried out without political interference at any level.

Sheriff, who is also United Nations Peace ambassador, said it is imperative that President Bola Tinubu back his words with action to assure Nigerians and also to encourage security personnel saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding the country irrespective of political, ethnic and religious affiliation.

“We cannot allow our gallant officers to be killed in this heinous, barbaric, and wicked manner,” he cautioned.

The Delta State born activist said in a statement yesterday that the investigative panel that is to be instituted should be ”honest and committed to unravel the perpetrators of this dastardly act, and ensure that no stone is left unturned, to avoid reoccurrence of such ugly incidents in our dear country. We demand justice for the dead whose souls are angry,” he asserted.

Sheriff charged Nigerians to encourage and support security agencies to enable them deliver on their national assignment as security is a collective responsibility, stressing that: “If we must enjoy quality and robust security in Nigeria, all hands must be on deck.”

He called on all Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic, religious, and political divide, to support and assist President Bola Tinubu in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria “because it has no boundaries.

“I want to strongly appeal and call on the Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, traditional rulers, and all stakeholders to ensure that Delta State is safe for tourists and investors to create job opportunities for our teeming youths. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to stop this ugly image of national embarrassment,” he said.