Stephen Angbulu

President Bola Tinubu has insisted that the killers of 17 officers and men of the Nigerian Army in Delta State on March 14, 2024, must be arrested, as families demanded justice during the burial of the slain military personnel at the National Cemetery in Abuja on Wednesday.

In his address at the event, Tinubu declared that leaders in Delta State must fish out killers of the soldiers who were ambushed while on a peace mission in the Okuama community in Delta State.

This came as the President vowed that the killers would not go unpunished, as he conferred posthumous national honours on the slain officers.

The late soldiers were honoured in three categories, including Member of the Order of Niger, Federal Republic Medal I, and Federal Republic Medal II.

The Federal Government gave the families of the slain soldiers houses, and their children got scholarships. At the same time, the President ordered the military to pay the slain soldiers’ benefits to their family members within 90 days.

Also at the event, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, stated that the death of military personnel in Delta was highly demoralising, as the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, vowed to hunt down the killers.

Tinubu, who attended the burial ceremony himself, announced the provision of housing facilities for the surviving family members and scholarships for all their children to the university level and also directed the payment of death benefits to the family members within 90 days.

Wednesday’s national honours conferment comes one week after Tinubu made the promise while breaking the Ramadan fast with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the House leadership at the Presidential Villa on March 20.

At the time, Tinubu declared, “We salute all our men and women in uniform and sympathise with them. I will soon make further pronouncements, but they must have a befitting burial and national honours.”

On March 14, Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, three other officers and 13 soldiers were killed in the Okuama Community during a peacekeeping mission to mediate in the lingering dispute with Okoloba Community, Delta State.

Soldiers of the Joint Task Force reportedly recovered their bodies under the supervision of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam.

At the National Cemetery on Wednesday, Tinubu said, “They went as peacemakers and peacekeepers respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities.

“They didn’t go with tanks, machine guns, or other weapons. They were on a mission of peace. Ali kept faith with his military calling until the end.

“On behalf of a grateful nation, we honour the sacrifice of Ali and the other gallant patriots who died that day.”

He noted that the slain soldiers would forever be remembered as heroes who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate price.

“Therefore, the Commander-in-Chief posthumously conferred the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger on the Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. Abdullahi Ali; Major Salihu Shafa; Major Daniel Obi and Captain Usman Zakari,” Tinubu declared.

He also conferred the honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger on Sgt Yahaya Saidu; Corporal Yahaya Danbaba; Corporal Kabiru Bashir; Lance Corporal Bulus Haruna; Lance Corporal Sola Opeyemi; Lance Corporal Bello Anas; Lance Corporal Hamman Peter; Lance Corporal Ibrahim Abdullahi; Private Alhaji Isah; Private Clement Francis; Private Abubakar Ali; Private Ibrahim Adamu and Private Adamu Ibrahim.

In conferring the honours, he stated, “Each man now belongs to the hallowed list of servicemen and women who defended our country and protected their fellow Nigerians, not minding the risk to their own lives.

“They have all been awarded posthumous national honours. The four gallant Officers have been accorded the Award of Member of the Order of Niger, MON.

"The thirteen courageous soldiers who also lost their lives have been Awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic Medal.”

Tinubu also announced the government’s plans for the surviving relatives, saying, “The Federal Government will provide a house in any part of our country to each of the families of the four officers and 13 soldiers.

"The federal government has also approved scholarships for all the children of the deceased up to the university level. The military must, within the next 90 days, ensure that all the benefits of the departed are paid to their families.”

The President reiterated his resolve to obtain justice for the slain soldiers, affirming that ‘those who committed this heinous crime will not go unpunished. We will find them, and our departed heroes will get justice.’

He noted that the elders and chiefs of Okuoma also had a duty to help the military in fishing out the gunmen who committed ‘the barbaric crime against our men.’

Furthermore, Tinubu commended the Armed Forces for exercising restraint in not retaliating against Okuoma or its neighbouring communities.

He appealed, “We must all ensure that the innocent people of Okuoma are not made to bear the punishment of the guilty and wicked among them.”

To the officers and personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Tinubu said, “Do not let the death of your compatriots discourage you. There is no higher honour than the vocation you have chosen to pursue.

“We cherish you. We cherish your labour of love. We salute your daily sacrifice in protecting your fellow citizens from danger. We acknowledge your sacrifices to defend our nation.