- He called for a thorough investigation into the incident and called for calm in the affected community.
Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas has said sixteen soldiers killed in Okuama Community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State were on a rescue mission.
Thomas, who represents Delta South Senatorial District, decried the killing of the military men, describing it as “a crisis taken too far”.
In a statement on Sunday in Warri, he called for a thorough investigation into the incident and called for calm in the affected community.
According to him, the military operatives were on a peace mission to rescue one Mr Anthony Aboh, who was allegedly kidnapped in Okuama Community.
He called for a holistic investigation to unearth the remote causes of the crisis and urged both the state and federal governments to urgently intervene to prevent it from escalating.
“There is a need for the security agencies to go after the masterminds of the heinous crime.
“There is also the need for the military to tactically deploy intelligence in tracking the masterminds to avoid the killing of innocent people in Okuama Community.
“I commiserate with the military authority, families of the slain soldiers as well as others who may have lost their loved ones to the crisis.
“I urge the people of Okuama Community to assist the military to fish out the killers of the gallant soldiers,” Thomas said.
The Nigerian Army had in a statement issued on Saturday confirmed the death of 16 soldiers in the conflict between the military and youths of the community.
According to the statement issued by the acting Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain, and 12 other soldiers were affected