The Nigerian Senate has condemned the gruesome murder of 16 personnel of the Nigerian Army by armed groups during a peace mission to the Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday.
Chronicle NG had earlier reported that a commanding officer, two Majors, one Captain, 12 soldiers, and one civilian lost their lives in the ambush on Thursday.
The Senate, in a statement through its spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, on Monday, said, “The Nigerian Senate has received with sadness the gruesome and unthinkable killings of 15 personnel of the Nigerian Army by armed groups during a peace mission to Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday, March 14, 2024. This is a perfidious height of a barbaric and heinous crime.
“The Nigeria Armed Forces need our maximum cooperation, prayers, and support at this trying period in our nation, as they conduct operations all over the country to restore peace and stability in troubled locations.
“We salute the courage of the departed military men as they have paid the supreme price performing the ultimate act of service to the nation.”
Conveying the Senate’s condolences to family of the fallen soldiers, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Nigerian Army Adaramodu said, “The Senate leadership and all Distinguished Senators of the 10th Senate condemn this attack and convey their deepest condolences to the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army, officers and men of Operation Delta Safe as well as the families of all the personnel who have lost their lives.
“We consequently support the President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s charge to the security authorities to smoke out the undesirable outlaws who put off the glowing lights of those promising officers and men.”
Mutilated bodies of the soldiers were later recovered by the Joint Task Force under the supervision of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, at the Okuama community.
Many residents of Okuama in the Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okolaba in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, fled the communities on Friday, as soldiers took over the area after the killing of the Army personnel.
