*As 17 soldiers slain in Okuama, Ugheli LGA, Delta State were laid to rest in Abuja
*Tinubu orders payment of slain soldiers’ benefits within 90 days, scholarship for children
*Chief of Defence Staff vows military will hunt gunmen who killed the soldiers
*We’ll hold military responsible if anything happens to Clark- Ijaw youths
By Emmanuel Obisue
It was a day of tears, grief and sorrow as the remains of 17 soldiers who were killed in Okuama in Ugheli Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State were buried at the military cemetery in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
It would be recalled that the officers and soldiers were murdered by suspected youths of the riverine community on March 14, after a failed peace mission to warring Okuama and Okoloba communities over land dispute.
In his speech at the cemetery, President Bola Tinubu conferred national posthumous awards on the 17 slain military personnel as well as announced scholarships and house gifts for their children and family members.
While four slain officers were awarded the honour of Members of the Order of the Niger (MON), 13 slain soldiers were honoured with Officers of the Federal Republic medals.
“Each of the men now belongs to the hallowed list of service men and women who defended our country and protected their fellow Nigerians not minding the risks to their own lives.
“They have all been awarded a posthumous National Honour. Four gallant officers have been accorded the award of Members of the Order of Niger (MON). The 13 courageous soldiers who also lost their lives have been awarded the officers of the federal republic medals,” Tinubu said.
The President remarked that the gallant soldiers would be remembered as patriots who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate price.
“It is now our duty to protect the families of our departed heroes. The Federal Government will provide housing in any part of our country to each of the families of the four officers and 13 soldiers that were among them.
“The Federal Government has also approved scholarships to all children of the deceased up to university level including those who are in the womb. The military, we appeal to you to, within the next 90 days ensure that all benefits of the departed are paid,” the President added.
The military personnel were gruesomely murdered. Their hearts, stomachs and heads reportedly ripped out from their bodies.
Last week, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters announced that it has recovered decomposing internal organs of the slain personnel, and has equally launched a manhunt for the suspects.
Meanwhile, the President and founder of Virtuous Widows’ International Foundation (VWIF), Amb (Lady) Ifeyinwa Egbosiuba has condemned the killings of “our soldiers” which she described as “a disgraceful act to a big nation like Nigeria.”
Egbosiuba said, “Such killing that happened recently in Okuama and the other killings of soldiers in large number in peace time Nigeria give room for greater concern.
“I therefore call on everybody in the country to have a rethink when dealing with armed forces and other security agencies’ personnel who are usually trained at great cost to the country.
“For our military personnel, they too should act with circumspection, knowing that they were first civilians, with civilian relatives around them and will be civilians again after retirement.”
