Killers of soldiers in Okuama may be mercenaries, not Nigerians – Akpabio

 

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, suggested on Tuesday that those behind the killing of Army personnel in Delta State may be mercenaries or foreigners, rather than Nigerians.

 

The attack occurred on Thursday, March 14, when armed individuals ambushed and killed the soldiers during a peace mission to the Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

 

During a debate on two merged motions by Senators Abdulaziz Yar’Adua and Edeh Dafinone, Akpabio expressed his view that the attackers were likely not from the Niger Delta region.

 

“We are not at war. I don’t think they are from the Niger Delta. They may be mercenaries,” Akpabio stated.

 

The Senate has ordered a probe into the killings.

 

The Senate Committee on Defence, Army, Navy, and Air Force has been tasked with liaising with military authorities to gather more information on the attack.

 

The upper legislative chamber also called on the Federal Government to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice. A minute of silence was observed in honour of the slain soldiers.

 

The Red Chamber also suggested the need to recruit more policemen to prevent the military from being involved in civil matters.

 

While the Senate rejected a proposal to observe a minute of silence or offer condolences to the families of innocent civilians killed in the incident, citing the unknown number of civilian casualties, it did resolve to compensate the families of the slain soldiers immediately.