The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio says the killers of the 17 military personnel at Okuama community in Delta State are not residents of any community in Niger Delta.
Senator Akpabio remarked as part of his contribution to the motion on the killing of the soldiers that was raised by Abdulaziz Yar’adua (APC, Katsina Central) during plenary on Tuesday.
Mr. Yar’adua, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Army, had called for a proper investigation and identification of the culprits.
He also sued for collaboration between the Nigerian military and the Nigerian police to prevent such occurrences in the future.
When the motion was opened for debate, many of the senators condemned the killing in support of the motion.
In his contribution, Senator Akpabio maintained that the culprits may not be residents of the region.
Senator Akpabio, who hails from Akwa Ibom State in the Niger Delta region urged his colleagues not to conclude that the attackers are people of the Niger Delta communities.
“See, I don’t want you to conclude. I do not believe that these people are from Niger Delta, those who do the killings because we respect men and women in uniform.
“That is why I am saying that your additional prayer should be to carry out a thorough investigation to know whether these people are mercenaries from outside Niger Delta who came to commit this crime because I don’t think these people are Niger Deltans.
“We are not at war to lose such a large number of personnel. No community will go to the extent of doing this kind of thing. I don’t think they are from Niger Delta.
“So, I think the first point is that we should first establish the culprits who committed these crimes. We must take this seriously.
“Supposing they are not from Niger Delta, supposing they are not even Nigerians and we now come and be giving relief materials to who?”
Last Thursday, it was reported that 17 soldiers were killed in an attack in the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
