Exclusive – How President Bola Tinubu’s Press Statement Triggered Genocide In Okuama Community
The President of Nigeria did not give order for mass killing in Okuama, but his speech may have been misinterpreted by angry soldiers on retaliatory mission in the community. The President endorsed action against the perpetrators of the heinous crime in Okuama in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.
16 soldiers were killed; among them were high ranked commanders in Okuama community, after they reportedly came for a peace mission in the community. Despite how strange the narrative is, the federal government swallowed it hook, line and sinker without investigation. According to the report that circulated online few days ago, the soldiers were ambushed and killed after they went to plead for the release of a kidnapped person by Okuama community.
“President Tinubu’s speech was an endorsement or approval of the retaliatory measure already on in Okuama. The President didn’t call for cautious raids or intelligence based operation. He emotionally gave the Army license to commit genocide they are known for” a security source said on condition of anonymity.
Communal Crisis
Okoloba and Okuama are different communities with common Local Government boundary. Okoloba is of Bomadi Local Government Area, while Okuama is of Ugheli South Local Government Area in Delta State. Oil rich Delta State is used to communal crisis, due to the quest to lay claim to oil fields. A community with oil field gets government derivation and significantly partakes of NDDC projects. Communal crisis is often handled by the community leaders, and in serious situation, State government intervenes.
“The land dispute between Okoloba and Okuama has not gone beyond the handling of the community leaders, so it was strange that soldiers without State or Federal Government mandate could walk into a community to settle a land dispute. The constitutional duty of the military is to safeguard the boundary of Nigeria against external enemies and not to settle communal land dispute” the source continued.
What President Bola Amed Tinubu Said Regarding The Killing Of Soldiers In Okuama.
President Bola Tinubu said “The Defence Headquarter and Chief of Defence Staff have been granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people”. The President went further to demand investigation and apprehension of the culprits, and he made his address with strong words. Emotion and anger could be seen through the lines of his wording.
“Members of our armed forces are at the heart and core of our nationhood. Any attack on them is a direct attack on our nation. We will not accept this wicked act” the President without applying any atom of caution or patience insinuated that the youth of Okuama truly attacked Nigerian soldiers. By virtue of his long and hastily released press statement, the President technically endorsed intended action against the culprits that are wrongly at the moment the youths of Okuama.
Before the official release of the press statement, Nigerian military has reportedly began a reprisal attack on a small scale, but soon after the press statement from the President, the reprisal attack intensified and transcended into genocide. The tune of the President was that of deterrence and not cautious investigation and intelligence gathering to nab the culprits.
The Military Reaction:
Nigerian Army leadership quickly released a press statement confirming the killing of high-ranked officers and promised to quickly commence operation to get the culprits. Chief of Defence Staff admitted that the killing of Nigerian soldiers was carried out by irate youth of Okuama. The allegation was hastily made against the standard practice of investigation before statement.
Defence headquarter also disclosed that the killed soldiers were on a peace mission without elaborating the nature of the mission and if the mission was sanctioned by the CDS. Nigerian Army deployed troops to the community and incessantly confronting the unarmed members of the community. They have also acceded to burning houses and destroying the community at random.
Nigerian Army is still adamant that the killing of the 16 Nigerian soldiers was carried out by the youths and orchestrated by the community. “Regrettably, the community complicit in this dastardly act has resorted to media propaganda and shenanigans, rather than engage in a positive effort to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime. This again is a clear indication that the murder of the troops was a communally orchestrated attack against legitimate forces” part of the Nigerian Army statement in support of their attack in the community said.
The Nigerian Army continues to insist that the community is responsible for the killing and this point to justifying the collective punishment of the community. The Army uploaded a video of massive arson on the community, carried out by the soldiers, but later deleted the video. Till now, the Army is yet to listen to voices of reason differentiating the community from the culprits.
In Okuama, scores of innocent members of the community have been killed, with reports of instant killing of over 50 members of the community immediately the Army stormed the community. Nigerian Army attacked the community through air, sea and land.
The people of Okuama are trapped in the community, as sea and land blockades have been imposed on them. There are reports of community members running into different forests to seek refuge, as Nigerian soldiers are shooting on sight.
