The Defence Headquarters has named eight individuals wanted for questioning in connection with the brutal killing of seventeen army personnel in the Delta State community of Okuama on March 14th.
The deceased soldiers were deployed on a peace-keeping mission when they were attacked. The wanted list includes Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor at Delta State University, alongside Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe, and Reuben Baru.
The tragic event sparked national outrage. President Bola Tinubu and the military leadership vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
On Wednesday, a solemn ceremony laid the fallen soldiers to rest at the national military cemetery in Abuja. President Tinubu posthumously awarded them national honors and announced scholarships for their children.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, emphasized the deep loss felt by the entire nation. “It’s highly demoralizing that these soldiers were killed by the very people they were sworn to protect,” he stated.
General Lagbaja revealed the immense difficulty in recovering the remains of some soldiers, highlighting the army’s restraint throughout the search. He also brought attention to the plight of the bereaved families, including ten widows, three of whom are pregnant, and 21 orphaned children.
The Nigerian Army continues its search for the named suspects and urges anyone with information to come forward.
