Army vexed by Delta community’s ‘propaganda’ following soldiers’ murder
The Nigerian Army has shown its dissatisfaction with the Okuoma community of Delta State for allegedly resorting to “media propaganda and shenanigans” after the killing of 16 soldiers on March 14.
Some suspected members of the community had ambushed and killed the soldiers including the commanding officer and two majors.
The army, following the incident, had stated that the ill-fated soldiers were on a peace mission. The community and its neighbours are said to be warring over land.
In a statement on Monday, Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, said the Delta community resorted to “media propaganda and shenanigans” instead of “engaging in a positive effort to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime”.
He pointed out that the falsehood being peddled is to “whip up sentiments and sway the public to endorse” the murder of the military personnel. Nwachkwu said that the community is “complicit” in the killing.
“These were troops committed to peace and security of lives and property of citizens and non-citizens alike in the Niger Delta Region, murdered in cold blood by an armed youth gang of Okuoma Community in the most gruesome, heartless, and cruel manner, and went ahead to sacrilegiously debase their remains by ripping out their hearts by the very people they were there to protect,” the statement reads.
“Regrettably, the community complicit in this dastardly act has resorted to media propaganda and shenanigans, rather than engage in a positive effort to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”
