…Community Urge For Comprehensive Investigation
The House of Representatives at the Plenary session on Tuesday condemned the gruesome murder of 17 military personnel in Delta State on Thursday last week and urged the Armed Forces of Nigeria AFN to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsor by Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC-LAGOS) under ” Urgent National Importance-
Need To Investigate And Apprehend Perpetrators of the gruesome killing of Seventeen Military Personnel in Delta State” While moving the motion, the Lawmaker ” Notes, with deep sadness, the needless and gruesome murder of seventeen military personnel in Delta state on Thursday 14 March 2024;
According to him, ” Also Notes that the murdered military personnel comprise of Lt. Col. A.H. Ali who was the Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Major S.D Shafa, Major D.E Obi, Captain U. Zakari and thirteen other rank and file of the Nigerian military; ”
Further notes that the fallen soldiers were on a peaceful and mediatory mission to quell communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba Communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi LGAs of Delta State respectively
” When the horrific incident occurred; Aware that these military personnel were only responding to a distress call in their service to their fatherland when they were ambushed and killed on Thursday; ” Distressed that the perpetrators of this heinous act did not only stop at killing these military personnel but also went ahead to sacrilegiously debase their remains by ripping out their hearts and other body parts; ” Worried that unless checked and stopped, acts like this, by the very people the AFN are meant to protect, have a potential of demoralising the military and affecting the war on insecurity which has so far recorded some successes.
He therefore urged the House to observe a minute silence for the soul of the military personnel killed in this horrendous incident; * Mandate the Armed Forces of Nigeria to conduct a thorough and wholesome investigation into the circumstances that led to this heartless, gruesome and despicable act and work with the relevant authorities to bring all perpetrators and their collaborators to book; *
Mandate the House Committees on Defence to interface with the Armed Forces of Nigeria to ensure compliance and report to the House within four weeks. When the motion was put into voice vote by the Speaker Hon Tajudeen Abbas who presided over the Plenary session , it was unanimously supported by members and was referred to the House Committee on Defence for further legislative action. END