Olusesan Oba
The suspected leader of the gang involved in the recent killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community, Delta State, has spoken out to defend their actions.
In a viral TikTok video, the young man, who revealed his face without hesitation, disputed claims that the slain soldiers were on a peacekeeping mission. Instead, he asserted that they had arrived to support the neighboring Okoloba community in a longstanding land dispute. Notably, Okuama is predominantly Urhobo, while Okoloba is inhabited by the Ijaw ethnic group.
According to the gang leader, whose father, a retired Nigerian Army Captain, passed away last year, the soldiers had previously detained and allegedly killed some individuals from the community. Moreover, he alleged that the soldiers returned to apprehend leaders of the Okuama community after the initial incident.
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 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 gang leader said that in the circumstances, they had no regret in killing the soldiers.
The 17 victims, all of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, were murdered on March 14.
In a statement titled “Rest in Peace, our Fallen Heroes,” the Nigerian Army identified the victims as Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt.-Col. A.H. Ali, Majors S.D. Shafa and D.E. Obi, and Captain U. Zakari. Soldiers affected include Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu, Corporals Yahaya Danbaba and Kabiru Bashir, Lance Corporals Bulus Haruna, Sola Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Hamman Peter and Ibrahim Abdullahi. Others were Privates Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Ibrahim Adamu and Adamu Ibrahim.
The Nigerian Military has launched a manhunt for the suspects.
