New revelations surrounding the tragic killing of 16 soldiers in Okuama community, Delta State, have surfaced, with claims suggesting the soldiers were not on a peacekeeping mission but fighting in support of Niger Delta warlord, Tompolo.
A video circulating online features a youth, speaking anonymously, alleging that the soldiers were not in Okuama for peacekeeping. According to the youth, the soldiers were aiding Ijaw people in protecting their oil bunkering activities, rather than mediating a land dispute between Okuama and Okoloba communities.
“The three people taken were slaughtered, and now they are coming back to pick community leaders and you know that once community leaders are captured; the youths are powerless,” the youth stated in the video.
“The soldiers were not in Okuama for peacekeeping, they were fighting in favour of Tompolo who ordered them to do so,” he further claimed.
Contrary to these allegations, the Nigerian Army had initially stated that the troops of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were deployed on a peaceful mission to mediate a communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities. The soldiers, however, were reportedly ambushed and killed by an armed youth gang from the community.
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During the incident, a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain, twelve soldiers, and a civilian lost their lives in what was described as a heinous act of violence.
The clash has brought renewed attention to the complex dynamics of the Niger Delta region, where issues of land disputes, oil bunkering, and involvement of armed groups have often led to violence and loss of lives.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing as authorities seek to ascertain the true circumstances surrounding the deadly clash in Okuama community.
