Following the tragic incident where 16 military personnel attached to the 181 Amphibious Battalion in Delta State were killed, residents of Okuama community have come forward with their accounts.
Trouble arose when troops responded to a distress call amid a communal crisis between Okuoma and Okoloba communities in Delta State. Reports suggested that the military conducted a reprisal attack after the initial incident.
In response, Major-General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, emphasized the armed forces’ adherence to rules of engagement and respect for human rights. He affirmed that the military operates within the framework of the law, regardless of provocation.
However, speaking anonymously to DRTV in Warri, two Okuama residents accused the military of perpetrating mass killings. They recounted how soldiers, initially welcomed for peace talks, abruptly turned violent when residents resisted their attempt to take away community leaders.
One resident stated, “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.”
Another resident added, “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.”
The residents’ testimonies shed light on the tragic events that unfolded in Okuama, underscoring the urgent need for intervention and justice for the affected community.