The Nigerian Army has vowed to continue operations in Okuama community, Ughelli South LGA of Delta State, until its equipments and arms which were allegedly carted away by hoodlums are recovered.
The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. J H Abdusallam in a press statement said “We will continue to conduct operations until our equipments and our arms that were carted away are recovered,” the GOC declared while addressing journalists on Tuesday.
Abdusallam remembered with sadness how troops were brutally murdered in Okuama community in March 2024.
He denied reports that the Army invaded the community on Monday.
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“This is Nigeria. I don’t understand when you say Nigerian Army invaded a place. When Nigeria Army go to operations in a place it is called operations. Why do you say it’s invasion?
“If we are conducting normal military operations in other places, it’s normal military operation not invasion. So it’s normal military operation that the military went to conduct in Okuama not invasion.”
The Genesis
Recall that some newspapers excluding Straightnews had reported on Monday that armed men in military fatigue stormed the community in four gunboats, 11 speedboats, shooting indiscriminately in their numbers, killing three youths and looted provision stores.
According to the Vanguard, the invaders also towed away a large granite canoe, a sand dredger and generating sets used by the returning villagers.
A community youth who spoke to Vanguard after returning from his hideout recounted that the military personnel came in four Gunboats, 11 speedboats shooting sporadically.
That thereafter they came on land through Okoloba community after earlier using drones to monitor the community on Sunday.
Three youths were reportedly killed by the soldiers namely Ojeh Asah, Uwhubunor James, and Enavwodo Peter.
According to our source, “This morning at about 3 a.m, we got the information that about 15 gun boats are coming to our area and we all came out to observe, and we were awake from that time to about 6am.
“As the day breaks we suddenly saw a drone probably taking video clips of the entire community. We were afraid and some women were running into the creek for safety, they called to inform us that 3 gunboats are in the river.
“And the next thing we heard were gun shots by the military and we all have to run into the bush. Before we came out from the bush, the army packed away every items in the provisions stores in the community and destroyed our garri.
“They took our generators Pos Machine and pumping machine. The dredger that is currently working in the community, they took it along. They also went away with the granite boat that came to the community.
The community was razed in March 2024 by soldiers of the Nigerian Army in a reprisal attack following the murder of 17 military personnel by unknown gunmen near the community.
Every building including hospital, schools and other private buildings in the community were uprooted and reduced to rubbles.
Weeks ago, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mr. James Oghoroko, Dennis Okugbaye, Pa Anthony Awhemuria and Mrs. Rita Akpata were arrested by military officials between 18 to 20th August and have remained in unknown detentions.
The Okuama people frustrated by the arrests instituted two fundamental rights in Federal High Court Warri in Suit No:FHC/WR/CS/84/2024 between James Oghorokor and the Nigerian Army and two others; Suit NO:FHC/WR/85/2024 between Dennis Okugbaye and the Nigerian Army and two others. They are claiming N200 million for illegal detentions without trials.
