Falana Urges Military To Prosecute Only Those Involved In Delta Killings, Avoid Reprisal Attacks

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has advised military authorities to prosecute only those involved in the killing of military officers in Delta State.

Falana’s statement on Saturday followed the March 14 ambush and killing of two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers of the 181 Amphibious Battalion in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, who were on a peace mission to Okuoma community by irate youths.

Falana, who commended the military for the arrest of some of the ringleaders of the attack, said the military must resist a repeat of the reprisal massacre of innocent civilians in Odi, Bayelsa State, and Zaki Biam, Benue State, when similar attacks occurred in the early 2000s.

“Having regard to the massacre of innocent people when the military invaded Odi in Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam in Benue State in similar circumstances, we commend the military authorities for resisting the temptation to subject the two warring communities to a reprisal attack. By all means, the army should avoid a repeat of the history of having multiple tragedies,” he said.

“We have confirmed that in line with the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Gwabim Musa, some of the gunmen involved in the heinous crime have been arrested. The Delta State Government, the respective local governments, and the two warring communities should assist the police in identifying and isolating the remaining reckless murderers and unraveling the motive behind the heinous crime.

“While we commiserate with the Nigerian Army and the bereaved families of the slain military officers and soldiers, we call on the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted into the case to prosecute the suspects without any delay.”

Also, the bodies were recovered in the early hours of today, March 16, 2024.

According to Channels TV, the soldiers were killed in a violent way, with some beheaded and others having their stomachs and hearts removed.

Tragically, the bodies of the commanding officer and two majors were found floating near the NDDC jetty, while others were discovered on land.

As a response, the 6th Division Nigerian Army, based in Port Harcourt, has cordoned off communities in Bomadi and Ughelli South, with oversight from the 63rd Brigade in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the killing of the four senior officers and twelve soldiers. The Army recovers 14 mutilated corpses of military personnel in Delta.

 

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Meanwhile, a video obtained by our team shows that the community in Delta state where soldiers were killed has been set on fire.