Senate President Godswill Akpabio suggested on Tuesday that the perpetrators behind the killing of soldiers in Delta State might be foreigners rather than Nigerians.
Armed assailants attacked and killed 15 Nigerian Army personnel during a peace mission to Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday, March 14.
During a debate on two merged motions by Senators Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, APC, Katsina Central, and Edeh Dafinone, APC, Delta Central, Akpabio expressed his opinion that the attackers could be mercenaries rather than Niger Delta locals.
He remarked, “We are not at war. I don’t think they are from the Niger Delta. They may be mercenaries.”
Following Akpabio’s statement, the Senate ordered an investigation into the killings. The Senate Committee on Defence, Army, Navy, and Air Force was tasked with collaborating with military authorities to gather more information on the incident’s causes.
Additionally, the Senate called on the Federal Government to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice. A minute of silence was observed in honor of the fallen soldiers.
The Senate also urged the recruitment of more police officers to prevent the military from being involved in civilian matters.
However, the Senate rejected a proposal to observe a minute of silence or express condolences to the families of innocent civilians killed during the incident, citing uncertainty about their numbers.
While rejecting an additional proposal for relief materials for the affected community by the National Emergency Management Agency, the Senate resolved to immediately compensate the families of the slain soldiers, as proposed by Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau and seconded by Senator Tony Nwoye.
