- Infuriated by the people’s refusal, the military men opened fire right at the town hall, where they held a meeting with the people, resulting in casualties within the community
As the killing of soldiers at Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State continues to dominate public discourse, more details have emerged about the tragic incident and the circumstances surrounding it.
Residents, who now live in fear, have narrated how soldiers opened fire on them and killed about 50 persons.
The residents spoke from hiding, as they fled into the bush after the March 14 ambush of soldiers.
The petrified indigenes, who spoke in confidence with newsmen, said there were many dead bodies in the bush where they were taking cover.
According to them, the military personnel arrived in two gunboats purportedly for a peace talk with the community chairman, and leaders on Thursday, March 14, and the community received them warmly and offered them kola nut, leading to a peaceful dialogue.
However, matters came to a head and what started as a peaceful gathering morphed into a full blown melee when the military said they wanted to take away the community chairman and some leaders for further questioning after the peace talks, which the people refused.
Infuriated by the people’s refusal, the military men opened fire right at the town hall, where they held a meeting with the people, resulting in casualties within the community.
They did not explain the role of the community in the dastard killing of the 16 later the same day but revealed that on March 15, the military returned for a second attack, wherein they set ablaze houses in the community, forcing residents to flee.
One resident said, “On March 14, military personnel visited Okuama and the people welcomed them. They first said they wanted to walk around the community; they walked around and said they wanted to go to the town hall for a peace talk. The people entertained them as it is customary with such visit.
“They asked for the community chairman and community leaders. They sat with them and they held peace talks together. After that, they asked the community chairman, and some other leaders to follow them.
“The people said they have already held peace talks with them, but they said they must take the leaders away.
“The community refused, and from there, the army turned the whole story to violence, right there in the community town hall, the army started shooting our people there.
“People started running, some were killed instantly, and people ran away because nobody expected shooting by the army that very day.
‘They killed 70’
“Then, the army left, but within a while, they came back with more reinforcement, gunboats, and other things.
“And instantly, about 20 persons were killed, and when they came back again, they began to shoot, they killed nothing less than 50 persons on that day.
“Then, the following day, they mobilized again, some from Bomadi, Okwagbe, they came together and burned the whole community down, that was on March 15.”
A community leader asserted, “That very day (March 14), we did expect what happened as we saw two gunboats come with the army. We were surprised, but the army maintained that they came for peace talk, so we welcomed and entertained them.”
“When they wanted to go, they said they wanted to take our chairman and the leaders along, but the community refused, so the army changed all of a sudden, and they did not act as people we just entertained.
“They opened fire, and in that process of firing, our youth, old women, and children died on the spot. More than 20 died instantly.
They left but came back again and opened fire again, raising the casualties to 50, and they returned on March 15, and burnt every house in the Okuama community.”
Another runaway mother said, “Some of us have yet to see our children since March 14. We have been hiding in the bush, some dead bodies are there, therefore, we want the government to come and rescue us.”
On the killing of soldiers, she denied that the community initiated the attack on the army, saying, “The army came to meet us and we entertained them, it was after the peace talk they said they want to take our leaders away. We did not attack the army in the River; it was their insistence to take away the community chairman, secretary, and other leaders that led to the shooting.”
“They killed the youth, women, and children in the town hall but there was confusion everywhere, therefore, people ran helter-skelter.
“We are calling for a full-scale investigation into this incident by the government to find out those killed our people and the soldiers also,” she said.
Meanwhile, as the Okoloba community points fingers at Okuama leaders, who they alleged hired a militant leader that purportedly spearheaded the ambush and killing of 16 soldiers, the Okuama community also claims that an Ijaw top shot instigated the shooting and killing of 50 indigenes on March 14 by soldiers.