Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has condemned the heinous killing of 16 military personnel in the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State last week during a rescue mission.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), however, faulted the alleged burning of the village by the military in what can be described as a reprisal.
Falana, experienced sympathy with the bereaved families of the slain soldiers but said the military authorities could have prevented a reprisal because of the country’s past experience in Zaki Biam, Gbaramatu and other places.
The slain military personnel responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities, both in Delta State, before they were killed on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
The beheaded corpses of the slain soldiers were later recovered from a neighbouring rivers, while the stomachs and hearts of others were ripped off.
President Bola Tinubu, the Senate, the host Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, as well as civil society organisations have condemned the gruesome murder of the soldiers and called for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.
However, over the weekend, some angry soldiers patrolling the creeks allegedly razed the village after their colleagues were killed, even as residents of the coastal community fled to neighboring Ughelli.
