DELTA KILLING: DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS RELEASES NAMES, MORE INSIGHTS ON AMBUSH
Former General Shares Insights on Ambush Leading to Soldiers' Deaths in Delta Community
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters on Monday released the names and pictures of its personnel killed during a communal clash in Delta state.
The personnel consist of four officers and 13 soldiers. The officers are Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali ; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).
The soldiers are SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290); LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).
Former Major General Cecil Esekhaigbe (retired) has provided details regarding the recent ambush resulting in the tragic killing of 16 military personnel in the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast show on Monday, Esekhaigbe revealed that the soldiers fell victim to an ambush by residents of the community while on a peacekeeping mission.
The Defence Headquarters had confirmed the deaths of the 16 Nigerian soldiers, including two Majors, one Captain, and 12 soldiers, who were deployed from the 181 Amphibious Battalion to the Bomadi region for a peacekeeping mission in Okuoma.
Esekhaigbe clarified that the soldiers' deployment to the coastal community was for investigative purposes, not combat, aimed at understanding why their colleagues, also on a peacekeeping mission, had been held hostage.
He stressed that had the soldiers anticipated hostility, they might have avoided the ambush. "Their mindset was to go and find out what the problems were... they were not going with the mentality of going for an attack," he explained.
The retired Major General attributed the success of the ambush to the sophisticated weaponry possessed by the militia groups in the community. He emphasized the importance of ongoing training for military personnel, particularly in local environment navigation.
Esekhaigbe highlighted factors contributing to overall insecurity in the state, including small arms proliferation, drug abuse, and governance shortcomings. He called for comprehensive institutional overhaul and a proactive approach to addressing these issues.
He urged for substantive actions beyond symbolic gestures like renaming institutions, stressing the need for effective governance, societal reorientation, and optimal security resource utilization.
Emphasizing government responsiveness, Esekhaigbe underscored the role of proactive measures in curbing communal clashes and ensuring citizen safety.
His insights shed light on the complex security challenges and underscore the urgent need for multifaceted solutions to ensure peace and stability in Delta State and beyond.
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