Delta 17: Bodies Of Gallant Soldiers Arrive Military Cemetery For Burial

The bodies of 17 gallant military personnel killed on March 14, 2024 in the Okuama village of the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State have arrived the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, for burial.

The remains of the soldiers gruesomely murdered by vicious residents of the riverine village when the men in uniform were on a peace mission to warring Okuama and Okoloba communities in the area will be interred with full military honour.

In attendance are the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Abba Yusuf (Kano) are already seated at the burial site, awaiting the arrival of President Bola Tinubu.

Earlier on Wednesday, presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that President will be at the solemn event in “honour of our men of gallantry and valor” who paid the supreme price.

It is confirmed that President Bola Tinubu will be attending the national burial for the Nigerian military officers and soldiers killed on 14 March by some gunmen in Okuama Community in Delta State. It is the first time in the last ten years that a Nigerian President will attend… pic.twitter.com/EJ7X8E2CiP

— Bayo Onanuga (@aonanuga1956) March 27, 2024

The slain military personnel responded to a distress call after a communal land dispute when they were gruesomely murdered.

The beheaded corpses of the slain soldiers were later recovered from a neigbouring rivers, while the stomachs and hearts of others were ripped off.

The Defence Headquarters later released the list of 17 military personnel killed in the attack.

The Defence Headquarters said 17 personnel including the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain, and 12 personnel of the battalion were killed.

The gruesome murder has continued to draw condemnation from authorities in Nigeria. Tinubu described it as an attack on the nation and gave marching orders to security agencies to fish out the masterminds of the attack. The President also said the slain military personnel will be conferred with national honours.

The Senate, host Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, as well as civil society organisations have condemned the gruesome murder of the soldiers and called for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.