OKUAMA CRISIS: Don’t Kill Innocent Villagers – Senate Warns Army

The Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce probing the recent killing of troops in the Okuama community of Delta State has warned the military authorities not to kill innocent citizens in the village in their bid to avenge the deaths of officers and soldiers of the army.

Senator Gbenga Daniel, who is a member of the panel, disclosed this to reporters after meeting with the nation’s Service Chiefs in Abuja.

In a meeting on Wednesday evening with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Gwabin Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan; and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla Senate asked the army not to punish innocent citizens as they go after the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

Sen. Gbenga said that it was also time for the military to utilise technology and artificial intelligence to fish out such criminals from their hiding places.

Daniel said: “It is a major affront and of course, we have to continue to appeal for patience and understanding.

“We also decided that technology has been very important and that the armed forces must begin to utilise technology and artificial intelligence to track down the location of some of these gangsters.

“By and large, we encourage them that they are doing a yeoman job protecting the assets of the nation.

“Without doubt, Delta state is very important as far as the custodians of the assets of our nation are concerned and whatever happens we must make sure that only people who are guilty face the consequences.

“These are some of the things we spoke about. Of course, we also spoke about the need to continually support the armed forces with additional funding.

“We recognise that Mr President has done very well, more than any other leader in recent history, but because of the peculiar situation we find ourselves in, we just have to continue to appeal that within the framework of the limited resources we have to give more priority to ensuring we retrain and equip our armed forces. That is the summary of meeting.”

Chairman of the panel, Senator Ahmad Lawan, told reporters that no investment can be too much for the nation’s armed forces, to secure the country.

Speaking after the closed-door meeting, Lawan said: “We have been briefed of what happened and this meeting was the first. We expect that we will also hold subsequent meetings when we have more information in respect to what has happened.

“But let me say this, the Senate particularly and the National Assembly stand solidly with our armed forces.

“We will continue to support our armed forces and I want to also assure Mr. President that he took the right step when he gave that directive to our armed forces to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous and horrific crime by killing our officers and men in Okuoma.

“There is no investment that an administration can do better than investing in the Armed Forces and other security agencies for them to secure us and our properties.

“I believe that this is what every Nigerian wants and that is what every Nigerian needs – secured lives, secured environment for businesses and other pursuit of life.

“So we have closed today but we hope that pretty soon we will convene again for us to have more information and then report back to the Senate whatever it is that we are able to gather as a report.”

On the arrest of some culprits, he said: “Of course, the military will not spend any time without looking for those that have carried out those murders.

“Therefore we are hoping that pretty soon they will be able to apprehend them and of course, the law should take its full course.”