A social-political group, Nigeria First, (NF) has reacted to the killings of soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State, describing the act as an absurdity, barbaric and an abomination against the Nigerian State.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Convener, Sunday Onyewonsa, the group expressed shock over the brutal killing of soldiers, describing the development as a desecration of the military institution by hoodlums who unfortunately have no values for human lives.
The statement called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to look beyond the explanations from the military and probe further into the remote and immediate causes of the invasion of Okuama community by a battalion of military personnel led by senior army officers on a peace mission.
The group also expressed concern over the current hostilities by the soldiers against the civilian population in Okuama and other places, which it noted has reportedly claimed
The group said: “We fear humanitarian crisis arising from the escalated armed conflict occasioned by vengeful actions in Okuama and other communities along forcados River in the oil-rich Delta State. The President should douse the tension by calling the military to order. We seek professionalism in handling the crisis.”
“Intelligence based approach should be adopted by the military. The use of small and medium arms in a civilian environment undermines the rights of the innocents to life . We call on the president to withdraw soldiers and deployed intelligence.”
“We want the military to explain on whose behest were the soldiers in Okuama; why was a peace mission to Okuama from Bomadi, a distance of less 20 minutes drive took the presence of such calibre of military top brass on a peace mission; what has the security agencies done to stop unscrupulous character from misinforming and misleading security operatives in the area?
“The President and his security chiefs should probe deeper into the avoidable ugly incident to be able to correct the abnormalities and criminal shenanigans being perpetrated some security agents in the creeks with their civilian collaborators.”