The Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce on Wednesday in Abuja met with the Service Chiefs over the killing of 16 soldiers in Okuoma Community in Delta.
The meeting observed a minute silence in honour of the late 16 soldiers before going into a close door session.
Speaking, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, the Chairman of the Committee, condemned the killing of the soldiers.
“The troops of 181 Amphibious battalion, on Thursday, 14 March, 2024, went on a peace mission to Okuoma Community in Delta.
“The troops on the peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi local government area of Delta State were surrounded by some community youths, which resulted in the death of officers and men.
“Acknowledging the gravity of the attack on the military personnel, the Senate at its plenary on Tuesday, March, 19, mandated the Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce to investigate the incident.
“The Senate also urged the federal government to ensure that those responsible for the heinous crime are identified, apprehended and brought to justice,” he said.
Lawan added: “We in the Senate and indeed, the National Assembly, will always support our military in whatever way we can, the National Assembly has that history.
“We try to at all times make meaningful appropriation for resources to be available.
“We know it has never been enough and, in fact, I will take this opportunity to commend our Armed Forces for doing so much with the little we can afford.
“The insecurity in our country takes precedence over any other consideration and, therefore, it is the position of the Senate that no investment in any sector can be more important than ensuring that we are secured as a country.”
“We therefore, are very sad as a parliament over this tragic incident. It is our hope in the Senate that those who perpetrated this barbaric and horrific act are captured and the law takes full course on them.
“I want to appeal to Nigerians that this is our Armed Forces and they cannot secure us without us as citizens playing our part. Therefore, every citizen is supposed to support our Armed Forces.
“And those in the area where this incident happened must volunteer information because this is the only way we can stop something like this from happening another time”.(NAN)
By Kingsley Okoye
