Killers of 17 Nigerian soldiers not from Niger Delta – Akpabio

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has said those involved in the killing of soldiers in Delta State may be mercenaries.

Akpabio, during Tuesday’s plenary in a debate on two merged motions by Senators Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC-Katsina Central) and Edeh Dafinone (APC-Delta Central), said those involved in the killing of the soldiers may not be from Niger-Delta.

Persecondnews recalls that some armed men on Thursday, March 14, attacked and killed 17 personnel of the Nigerian Army during a peace mission to Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

He said: “We are not at war. I don’t think they are from the Niger Delta. They may be mercenaries.”

The upper chamber called for an investigation into the killings, just as it has asked its Committee on Defence, Army, Navy, and Air Force to liaise with the military authorities to get more information on the remote and immediate causes of what it described as “a dastardly act.”

The senators called on the federal government to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice while observing a minute of silence in honour of those killed.

Additionally, it called for the hiring of more police officers to prevent the military from getting involved in civil disputes.

The Senate, however, rejected a prayer to observe a minute of silence or to commiserate with the families of innocent civilians killed in the process, saying that their numbers are still unknown.

The Senate rejected an additional prayer for relief materials for the community by the National Emergency Management Agency.

The families of the killed soldiers should be compensated immediately, as moved by the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Jibrin Barau, and seconded by Sen. Tony Nwoye.