From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, ordered an investigation into the killings of 16 military personnel in Okuama Community of Delta state.
This followed a resolution on two motions moved by Senators Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central) and Edeh Dafinone (APC, Delta Central).
A total of 16 military personnel on a peace mission in Okuoma community of Delta state including a commanding officer, two majors, one captain, 12 soldiers and one civilian, were killed on Thursday, March 14.
Speaking on Tuesday, during a debate on the two motions, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the perpetrators behind the gruesome murder of the military personnel are not from the Niger Delta geo-political zone of the country or even from Nigeria but mercenaries.
“I don’t think they are from the Niger Delta, they may be mercenaries”, he said.
While ordering a probe into the killings, the Red Chamber directed its Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force to liaise with the Military authorities to get more information on the remote and immediate cause of the dastardly act.
It also called on the federal government to apprehend killers and bring them to justice.
While it observed a minute silence in the honour of the deceased officers, the Senate, however, rejected a prayer to observe a minute silence or to commiserate with the families of innocent civilians killed in the process, saying that their numbers are still unknown.
This is as the Red Chamber also rejected an additional prayer for relief materials for the community by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Rather, the Upper Chamber resolved that families of the deceased officers and soldiers be compensated immediately.
