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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has asked for the support of the Delta State government to arrest a “suspect” who made a video, which went viral social media, on the killing of officers and soldiers in the State.
In a trending video on TikTok, an unidentified man, suspected to be the ring leader of the gang that killed the 17 soldiers in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Council Area, came out to justify his action.
In the trending, the young man, who did not bother to mask his face, dismissed reports that the slain soldiers were on a peace mission to the community.
He claimed that the officers and soldiers were rather at the community to fight on behalf of neighbouring Okoloba community in Bomadi local government area of the State, in a lingering land dispute.
According to the suspected gang leader, who said that his father was a retired Nigerian Army Captain, who died last year, the soldiers earlier came and took away some people and allegedly killed them, only to come back to arrest leaders of Okuama community.
Speaking in Pidgin English, he said in the video, which he repeatedly said would be his last: “Okuama and Okoloba get land issue.
“Small crisis come dey. Ijaw people wey Federal Government give power … dat man go use army carry people from Okoloba community. Now dey don dey come back to come carry community leaders.
“And once they carry community leaders, you know the youths are powerless.”
The suspected gang leader also said that in the circumstances, they had no regret in killing the soldiers.
Reacting, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, in a statement in Abuja on Friday said the assistance of the State government is needed to apprehend the suspect.
According to Maj-Gen. Buba, troops are still hunting for perpetrators of the barbaric killing of officers and soldiers that occurred on March 14 in Delta State and that no significant arrest had been made yet.
Buba said that clearance operations, as well as cordon and search were conducted to, among other things, recover the weapons of the deceased soldiers.
He listed some of the communities in which troops had carried out operations to include Akugbene, Okuama and Okoloba.
Others he said are Amusamo, Okwagbe, Arhavwarien, Pirigbene and Igbomatoro communities all in Delta.
According to him, the decomposing hearts of some of the killed soldiers were recovered during the search, while the manhunt continues with no significant arrest made yet.
“Significantly, there is a viral video of a person admitting to have perpetrated the killings. The video, among other things, helps to narrow investigations to persons of interest and their cohorts.
“Accordingly, the state governments and host communities of these personalities are required to assist investigation in flushing them out.
“There can be no hiding place for perpetrators of such dastardly act against our nation. This is a clarion call to duty by members of those communities and the state government,” Buba said.