Troops of the Nigerian Army Wednesday continued the manhunt for the fleeing militant leader, (names withheld) and his gang members, suspected of having carried out the killing of 17 soldiers last Thursday at Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, combing creeks and hideouts across Delta and Bayelsa states.
The militant leader, whose mother hails from Bayelsa State, was reportedly taken to his mother’s ancestral home after she left his father in Delta State.
Soldiers tracked the fleeing militant leader to the riverside town of Igbomorotu in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, during the week, but left the community in pain, as residents had deserted the town after they razed some houses.
Reports said the military might likely extend the search for the fleeing militant leader and his men to Peremabiri, another community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
More destruction in Okuama
In Delta State, the Army siege of the community continued. There was speculation that it might proceed to build a military barracks in the town.
However, there is still conflicting information on the militant leader’s origin, as some say he is paternally from the Awawa community, while others say he is Akwagbe, very close to Okuama community.
Detectives have kept him under surveillance since the March 14 killings of the military personnel, seeking information to seize the suspect.
An informed source told Vanguard that his mother, from Igbomotoru, took him back to her ancestral home after she parted ways with his father and remarried in her community, where he grew up in the backwaters of Igbomotoru.
He is also said to be the founder of a peace group and volunteer force, and he is also involved in humanitarian work.
He was reported to have renovated the dilapidated home of the late Niger Delta freedom fighter, Isaac Boro, at Kaiama in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and given N1 million to the Boro family to support his anniversary.
The suspect was described as an ardent disciple of Isaac Boro who always celebrated the late freedom fighter.
While some said he also played a role in stemming crude oil theft in the Bomo axis of the state, others claimed he was into bunkering, claims that could not be independently verified.
But behind the facade of philanthropic work, he is said to also serve as a thug to politicians in the last election in the state.
A resident of Igbomotoru, who pleaded anonymity, told Vanguard yesterday: “We have a burial this weekend, but we cannot go there because of the tense situation in the community. We do not know what to do now as the place is deserted because of military occupation.”
The siege by soldiers is causing panic in Igbomoturu, Peremabiri, and other areas, where some confederates of the wanted militant leader are said to be hiding.
Though it could not be immediately confirmed if the soldiers stormed Peremabiri, a source told one of our reporters that the soldiers were heading to Peremabiri.
“We heard Peremabiri was the next place to be raided, but they (soldiers) had to pause. There is tension in the area,” the source said.
The military is acting on intelligence from captured youths in Okuama that the suspect was allegedly behind the killing of security personnel.
The military continued its activities in Okuama community on Wednesday, sequel to the arrival of three swamp buggies transported on barges from Bomadi axis of River Forcados to the community on Tuesday.
According to our source, who spoke from a neighboring community, the machines have been put to work, and over half of the community has been cleared.
“It is certain that those machines brought to Okuama to ease the task of demolishing and evacuating houses and rubble have been put to work, and almost half the community has been cleared. I am not sure of what they intend to do next when they conclude the demolition exercise,” the source said.
However, there is speculation that the military is planning to build barracks on Okuama community soil, which necessitates a concerted effort in the clearing and evacuation of rubble from the community.
Our source said: “The army will likely build their barracks on Okuama community soil, and that is why they are painstakingly using heavy machines to evacuate everything in the community.
“We heard that very soon, the Chief of Army Staff will come to Okuama to flag off the barracks project,” he said.
Senate joint c’ttee meets service chiefs
Meanwhile, former Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has called on the the Federal Government to prioritise the issue of security, saying it should take precedence over investment in any other sector of the economy.
Speaking Wednesday before the Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force went into a session with the service chiefs over last thursday’s killing of 17 officers and men of the 181 Amphibious Battalion at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta, Lawan, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, described the killing of the military personnel as barbaric.
He appealed to Nigerians to support the Armed Forces by volunteering information that could lead to the capture and prosecution of those behind insecurity across the country.
The meeting, which started at exactly 3:42pm, had in attendance, the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar; and Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
Recall that the Senate, during Tuesday’s plenary, mandated the joint committee to investigate the incident.
The upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to ensure that those responsible for the heinous crime were identified, apprehended, and brought to justice.
The joint committee is chaired by Senator Ahmad Lawan, who is also Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence.
Moments before the commencement of the meeting with service chiefs, members of the joint committee observed a minute of silence in honour of the 17 military personnel killed at Okuama community last Thursday.
Speaking on the incident, Senator Lawan in a speech delivered at the investigative hearing by the Joint Committee, recalled: “The troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, on Thursday, March 14, 2024, went on a peace mission to Okuoma community in Delta State.
“An incident occurred, resulting in the loss of a commanding officer, two majors, a captain, and 12 soldiers during the peace mission.
“The troops on the peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State were surrounded by some community youths, which resulted in the deaths of officers and men.
“Acknowledging the gravity of the attack on the military personnel, the Senate at its plenary on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, mandated the Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce to investigate the incident.
“The Senate also urged the Federal Government to ensure that those responsible for the heinous crime are identified, apprehended, and brought to justice.
“We, in the Senate, and, indeed, the National Assembly, will always support our military in whatever way we can, and the National Assembly has that history. We try to, at all times, make meaningful appropriations for resources to be available.
“We know it has never been enough, and, in fact, I will take this opportunity to commend our armed forces for doing so much with the little we can afford.
“The insecurity in our country takes precedence over any other consideration, and, therefore, it is the position of the Senate that no investment in any sector can be more important than ensuring that we are secured as a country.
“We, therefore, are very sad as a parliament over this tragic incident. It is our hope in the Senate that those who perpetrated this barbaric and horrific act are captured and the law takes its full course on them.
“I want to appeal to Nigerians that this is our Armed Forces and they cannot secure us without our playing our part. Therefore, every citizen is supposed to support our Armed Forces. Those in the area where this incident happened must volunteer information because this is the only way we can stop something like this from happening in the future.”
Killing of soldiers, inhuman, devilish – IYC
Reacting to the killing Wednesday, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide, led by Dr. Alaye Theophilus, described the killing of the 17 soldiers as inhumane and devilish.
Theophilus during a World Press Conference in Port Harcourt condemned the development, noting that no sane man will encourage attacks on security operatives.
He, however, urged the military to be more professional in their quest to fish out those who carried out the dastardly act on the security operatives, noting that the sin of a few people should not be the reason to bring down the entire community.
Theophilus said: “We as a council condemn in its totality the killing of military personnel on official peacekeeping assignment at Okuama community in Delta State. This incident is devilish and inhuman, and, therefore, no sane-minded can support such an act under any guise.
“We also want to call on the military to please act with a sense of professionalism and responsibility. They should fish out the culprits and bring them to justice. They should as well thoroughly investigate the root cause of the matter and not leave any stone unturned.
“We also appeal that the military should remain professional and maintain their rules of engagement as they apply in other parts of the country when fighting criminals. We plead that when moving to fish out the killers, the whole community should not be destroyed because of the action of a few individuals.”
Theophilus also condemned the military’s invasion of a community in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State, Igbomotoru 2, adding that several persons were feared to have been killed in the attack on the community.
He said the reason for the military action in the area has remained unknown, calling on security chiefs and President Ahmed Tinubu, for urgent intervention to end the military siege on the community.
Theophilus said: “We will also draw your attention to the onslaught going on in one of our Ijaw communities in Bayelsa State, Igbomotoru 2 in Bomo-Ibe Clan which the military invaded in the early hours of Sunday, March 17, 2024.
“They opened fire on innocent men, women, and children. They killed over 40 people and are still counting, without any form of provocation.
“We are calling on the military to please tell the world what is happening in Igbomotoru 2 and why innocent Ijaw sons and daughters were killed in such a manner. As a council, we condemn what the military is doing in Igbomotoru 2 community.
“What is happening in this community is purely a humanitarian crisis. As we speak, they have held every member of the community hostage, as there is no entry or exit to the community. People are now starving to death.”
Delta Assembly condemns killings, calls for thorough investigation
Similarly, the Delta State House of Assembly condemned the killing of the soldiers, and called for thorough investigation into the matter.
The House gave the condemnation, following a motion under a matter of public importance by the member representing Ughelli South Constituency, Mr. Festus Utuama, where a minute of silence was observed in honour of the slain soldiers at plenary.
Utuama, in the motion that was unanimously adopted in a voice vote called by the speaker, Emomotimi Guwor, commiserated with the families of the deceased soldiers and the Nigeria Army.
He called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to ask relevant security agencies to investigate, arrest, and prosecute all those who carried out the dastardly act.
He urged the governor to constitute a commission of inquiry “to investigate and unravel the immediate and remote cause(s) of the crisis between Okuama community in Ughelli South and Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Areas.
In their contributions, the Deputy Speaker, Arthur Akpowowo, Majority Leader, Emeka Nwaobi, Deputy Majority Leader, Festus Okoh, members representing Ndokwa East and West, Prince Emeka Osamuta and Charles Emetulu, passionately appealed to the military to temper justice with mercy, and not embark on reprisal attacks as a result of the ugly incident.
They advised against executing vengeance on the entire community, but to fish out the culprits and allow the law to take its course.
The speaker, Emomotimi Guwor, directed that the motion be forwarded to the governor for immediate action.
Additional reports by Adebari Oguntoye
