No fewer than 8 people have been declared wanted over the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama.
Newsone Nigeria reports that the Defence Headquarters has declared Eight persons wanted in connection with the killing of 17 soldiers in the Okuama community in Delta state.
This online news platform recalls that 17 soldiers were killed on March 14, 2024, during an operation in the community.
Among those declared wanted are Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at the Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe, and Reuben Baru.
The names of the deceased soldiers are A.H Ali, D.E Obi, S.D. Ashafa, U. Zakari, Yahaya Saidu, Danbaba Yahaya, Kabir Bashir, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Adamu Ibrahim, Hamman Peter, and Ibrahim Adamu.
President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised after the killing of the army personnel, that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, the slain soldiers were buried at the military cemetery in Abuja and were posthumously conferred with national honours by President Tinubu.
President Tinubu also offered scholarships to the children of the late officers.
Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Taoreed Lagbaja, said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.
The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of searching to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.
Lagbaja added that the Nigerian Army exercised “a lot of restraint” in the search for missing arms and body parts of the deceased soldiers.
The army chief also said some of the widows of the slain officers are pregnant.
“The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigerian state, 10 widows, three of whom are four, five, and eight months pregnant, 21 orphans, and many other dependents, which include parents,” Lagbaja said.