Residents of the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, have narrated how soldiers opened fire on them and killed about 50 persons. The terrified indigenes, who preferred anonymity, said there were many dead bodies in the bush where they were taking cover.

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. 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.

There Are Ongoing Revenge Attacks By The Military Happening In Delta Communities Right. Such Treatment Can’t Happen In The North Only In The SS and SE. There Were Also Clashes That Happened Between Police Officers And The People In Asaba.

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Source: Vanguard News