Delta bloodbath: Military may place bounty on monarch, others declared wanted
The Nigerian military has disclosed that it may place a bounty on suspects connected to the killing of 17 soldiers in the Okuama community of Delta State.
This is as the military intensified efforts to apprehend the eight persons declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters over their suspected roles in the killing.
The military released a list of the wanted persons on Thursday at a briefing in Abuja.
On March 14, 2024, the officers and soldiers of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were ambushed and killed by some irate youths during a peacekeeping mission in the Okuama community.
Okuama and Okoloba communities have been embroiled in a lingering land dispute since 2023.
The 17 military personnel, including four officers and 13 soldiers, were murdered in the Okuama community during the mission.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, had on Wednesday vowed that those behind the death of military personnel in Delta would be hunted down.
CDS Musa promised that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would be brought to justice. He spoke at the burial ceremony held for the slain soldiers in Abuja.
Musa said, “To the perpetrators of violence who seek to sow division and fear among our people, know this: our resolve will not waver. We will hunt you down, bring you to justice, and restore peace and security to every nook and cranny of our dear nation.”
At the funeral, the families of the slain soldiers also mourned the death of their loved ones, with many of them lamenting in separate interviews with The PUNCH that they lost their breadwinners.
In light of this, the military has been combing the creeks in the community and other areas in search of the perpetrators of the crime.
Following this, the military released the list of the wanted suspects to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
The persons declared wanted are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe, Reuben Baru and Igoli Ebi.
Prominent on the list of those declared wanted is a suspected militant leader, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbono, aka Amagbein, whom soldiers had few days after the dastardly incident tracked to Igbomoturu community in Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, but missed him as he was believed to have gone underground.
Atata Malaw David and Sinclair Oliki, suspected of belonging to the Amagbein gang, are also on the list.
Igoli Ebi is supposedly the mother of one of the wanted persons, as well as Reuben Baru, a young man who made a viral video recently narrating why the soldiers were killed.
Oghenerukevwe is the Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State and the traditional ruler of Okuama.
Speaking, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Buba Edward, vowed that the military would leave no stone unturned in apprehending all those declared wanted.
While insisting that such an occurrence would not happen again, the military spokesperson said a bounty might be placed on the heads of the prime suspects announced today.
“We will do whatever it takes to get these people, even if it means we place a bounty on them, we will do that,” he said.
He recounted that before the incident, the military had embarked on projects in the state.
He said, “Before the ugly incident, the military had constructed several civic projects in Delta State as a sign of goodwill.
“For instance, the construction of Multipurpose Hall and Borehole Projects in Patani Local Government Area and Medical Outreach at Aladja Community in Udu Local Government Area all in Delta, among several others.
“Nevertheless, troops would continue their efforts until the culprits are found, arrested, tried, and brought to justice by Nigerian law.”
He, however, urged members of the public to help the military and other security agencies with information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects.
The declaration came hours after the 17 slain soldiers were buried at the National Cemetery in Abuja on Wednesday.
President Bola Tinubu, governors, and other dignitaries attended the ceremony.
At the event, Tinubu promised support for the families of the victims.
He also announced scholarships for the children of the slain soldiers, including those in the womb.
“We will find them, and our departed heroes will get justice,” the President said at the National Cemetery.
Monarch denies involvement
Meanwhile, the newly installed Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, His Majesty Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, Urhukpe 1, has denied involvement in the killings.
Speaking in a video interview on Thursday, Ikolo said he was shocked to see his name on the list while he claimed that he had nothing to do with truncating the lives of human beings.
Speaking from an undisclosed location while reacting to his being declared wanted by the army, the monarch said he was “shocked to see it in the news” that he is among eight persons declared wanted in connection with the Okuama killings.
The monarch emphasised that the Delta state government was aware of his position.
The monarch, who emphasised that he had been unable to gain access to his kingdom till the time he was granting the interview, said the government was aware of his position on the incident.
He added that it was against his philosophy as a human and a Christian to take the lives of human beings.
He said, “To the greatest of my surprise, I saw my name on the list of persons wanted in connection with this heinous crime. It is a shock because I have no hand in such a thing. I don’t believe in anything that has to do with truncating the lives of human beings. I am not in any way connected to this.
“Let it be stated here that I have not been able to access the kingdom to date. I got my staff of office on November 16, 2023. Prior to getting my staff of office, it has been turbulent. The government is sufficiently aware of my position and I am really surprised and taken aback that my name as the monarch of the kingdom will appear in the list of wanted persons. I have no hand in killings. I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody. It is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic.”
While describing the killing as a crime against humanity, the monarch urged the government to look at appropriate places in its investigation.
“This is a serious crime against humanity, and I think they need to look at the appropriate places. They need to do a thorough investigation to know all these and bring them to book.”
Varsity mum
Meanwhile, following the declaration of Professor Authur of the Delta State University, Abraka, in connection to the killing, it was learnt that the lecturer had gone into hiding.
Efforts to reach the institution’s Public Relations Officer, NAD Abimbola, failed. Calls and text messages sent to his telephone were not responded to when filing this report.
But when contacted, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Andy Eguyanga, said the university was cooperating with the authorities. “I don’t want to comment on the matter,” he added.
Also, the Chairman, Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty, Maj. Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (retd.) said the suspects were not from his kingdom.
He said, “The suspects are not from my kingdom; why are you asking me?”
The monarch had earlier called for a judicial panel of enquiry to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the crisis when Governor Sheriff Oborevweri met the traditional rules last week.
Lawmaker seeks probe, peace
The Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State at the National Assembly, Ede Dafinone, told our correspondent that razing the Okuama community was not the way forward.
He said, “Certainly, the way out is not by razing down the concerned communities and the neighbouring ones along the riverine areas. We appeal to the military to cool down tempers.
“As I have noted in my motion on the floor of the Senate, the first thing is for the Federal Government to set up a high-powered investigation panel to ascertain both the immediate and remote causes of the fracas with a view to bringing the agent provocateur to justice.
“Thereafter, the Federal Government, in conjunction with the state government, should commence a remediation plan to rehabilitate not only the Okuama community but all the other neighbouring communities razed down by the military in the aftermath of the killings,” he added.
On his part, the lawmaker representing Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency of Delta, Ejiroghene Waive, urged the Nigerian military to be professional in its search for killers of the soldiers.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Thursday night, Waive said, “Innocent lives are already being wasted. This is so sad. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. We can’t cure barbarism by being barbaric.”
“The continued destruction of lives and property must stop for independent, thorough, credible and transparent investigations to take place. The culprits must then be made to face the full wrath of the law,” he added.
