Gen. Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, has praised the traditional ruler of the Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom in Delta State, His Royal Majesty Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, for surrendering to authorities after being declared wanted in connection with the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community.
In an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, Musa advised the seven other suspects declared wanted to follow the monarch’s example and turn themselves in.
The 17 military personnel, including four officers and 13 soldiers, were ambushed and murdered on March 14th during a peacekeeping mission in Okuama community amid a lingering land dispute between Okuama and Okoloba communities.
Last week, the military declared eight persons, including the monarch, wanted for their alleged involvement in the killings. Shortly after, the Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom surrendered to the police and was handed over to military authorities.
Musa revealed that the soldiers went to the community unarmed for dialogue, but were overpowered by the “hoodlums” who took advantage of the situation.
He stated that the killings were premeditated by “criminals, cultists, and militants” unhappy with the military’s crackdown on oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the region.
The Chief of Defence Staff maintained that the military has the mandate from President Bola Tinubu to arrest the suspects and recover missing weapons. He dismissed arguments that only the police should handle such cases, stating that the military is legally authorized to make arrests and interrogate suspects when deployed for operations.
Musa described the ongoing operations in Okuama as a “measured response” aimed at thoroughly searching for weapons and apprehending those responsible for the attack on the soldiers. He assured that the military would conduct the operations carefully, unlike the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel.
