Some residents of Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State where 17 military officers were killed have opened up on the alleged reprisal attacks by troops of the Nigerian military.
Recall that days ago troops attached to 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta were killed while on peace mission.
The unrest began when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuoma and Okoloba communities both in the South South State.
There were reports that the military resorted to a reprisal attack after the ugly incident.
Earlier, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, noted that the armed forces being a professionally trained force complies with its rules of engagement, laws of armed conflict and respect for human rights.
Buba, a Major-General, who stated that the military would not be led by emotions, but by the rule of law even in the face of provocation, added that the incident would not demoralise or deter the gallant soldiers from carrying out their constitutional duties as expected.
However, speaking with DRTV in Warri, two Okuama residents indicted the military for carrying out mass killing.
The residents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that the soldiers had visited their community for a peacekeeping mission and were received in the town hall.
According to the residents, it was all fine until they were asked to take the community chiefs away.
They said the soldiers reacted violently when the community insisted they leave without their chiefs.
One of the residents revealed further: “On the 14th of March, we were at home when some military officials came to our community. We welcomed them and they said that they wanted to walk around the community. They walked around the community and said that they wanted to have a peace talk at the town hall.
“They went to the town hall. The military men were entertained and welcomed. They (the soldiers) asked for the community chairman and community leaders. They sat with them and had a talk. After that, they asked the chairman and some community leaders to follow them.
“We said that they had had the peace talk with the leaders already so they should leave, but the soldiers insisted they had to take them away. The people said no. From there, the army turned the whole story into violence. Right there, in the community town hall, the soldiers started shooting our people there. Killed many of the young people there. People started running; some were killed instantly. Nobody expected any shooting.
“The army went and came back with more reinforcement. About twenty more people were killed immediately.”
Another source added: “The army – they just changed all of a sudden and opened fire on us. Women and children died. We cannot find some of our children and our parents.
“They (the soldiers) killed over 20 of our fellow residents. Some of our buildings were razed. Many residents have fled and there are even dead bodies in the bush where we have been hiding. We want the government to come to our rescue.”
