Okuama Massacre: GOC says no going back as troops hunt ‘prime suspect’

The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation DELTA STATE, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, has vowed that those responsible for the killing of 17 soldiers must be brought to justice.

Abdussalam made the vow on Thursday while hosting the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Samuel Ogbuku, who paid him a condolence visit at the Division’s Headquarters in Port Harcourt Barracks.

He said troops from the Defence Headquarters currently carrying out a manhunt for one Endurance Okodeh, alias Amangben, the prime suspect, and others will continue to be in the creeks.

The GOC assured all that the troops conducting operations over the murder of officers and soldiers at Okuama community would be firm, strong, decisive, and professional in the cause of the operations in the general area.

While appreciating the NDDC Managing Director and his team for the visit, Abdussalam, restated that no amount of propaganda, arm-twisting, blackmailing, intimidation and false narratives would distract troops from staying on course to achieve their objectives.

“The mission handed to troops by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, is basically to recover the weapons carted away by the perpetrators of this heinous crime and ensure that all those involved are arrested.

“Troops will continue to be in the creeks until these objectives are achieved,’’ he said.

He appealed to residents of the communities in the area to assist troops regarding the location of the fleeing suspects and the stolen weapons.

The GOC equally urged the public to avail the Nigerian Army credible intelligence on where to get the criminals and ensure they answer for their crimes.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NDDC, Ogbuku, while sympathizing with the GOC, said there would be no development in the Niger-Delta region without peace.

According to him, the Niger Delta region has been peaceful for some time, owing to the sacrifices of officers and men of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He however noted that the killing of soldiers in Okuama calls for concern.