*Organs of slain soldiers traced, recovered Declares viral video of suspect narrows investigation to persons of interest
*Declares Delta govt, host communities must provide assistance
*Troops will continue to take the risk to defend nation
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The military high command has made some gains and advances in its quest to unravel masterminds in the attack at Okuama, Delta State where officers and men of the armed forces were killed, as they have recovered weapons of the slain soldiers that were carted away by the attackers in an ambush.
The recovery has inched them closer to unraveling those that carried out the dastardly attack as some dismembered organs of the victims and parts allegedly removed from them have been recovered.
Pointing to positive application of intelligence with the recoveries, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), therefore, declared that there was no hiding place for the killers of 18 senior officers and soldiers in Okuama.
It said the viral video of a suspect, who claimed to have masterminded the killing had hanged the direction of the investigation and narrowed the investigation to persons of interest.
A male suspect in a viral video had claimed responsibility for the killing insinuating that the military personnel took sides in the conflict between two communities in the area.
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) also called on the Delta State government and the host communities to provide assistance to ensure that the culprits were fished out.
An update on the attack issued by Defence Headquarters said there was no hiding place for the perpetrators.
“Troops have continued a manhunt for the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of 18 soldiers that occurred on 14 Mar 24.
“Accordingly, clearance operations as well as cordon and search were conducted to among other things recover the weapons of the deceased soldiers”, it said.
It stated that “some of the communities in which troops have operated are Akugbene, Ukuama and Okoloba Communities in Ugheli and Ugheli South of Delta State.
“Others include Ukuama Amusamo, Akwagbe, Arhavwarien, Pirigbene and Igbomatoro communities all in Delta State.
“The decomposing hearts of some of the killed soldiers were recovered during search while the manhunt continues with no significant arrest yet made”.
The update issued by the Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Edward Buba, said the armed forces will continue to confront the challenge of insecurity.
“Significantly, there is a viral video of person admitting to have perpetrated the killings of the soldier in Delta State. 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 the ongoing investigation to flush 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”, it said.
Continuing, the statement said “the ongoing counter-insurgency and counter terrorist operation across the country is a fight for our sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation. Troops would continue to put themselves in harm’s way in order protect and secure the citizens of this country.
“Consequent upon these operations, troops rescued several kidnapped hostages re-united them with their loved ones. Troops also disrupted untoward activities of terrorist, thereby preventing them from carrying out acts of terror or harming citizens”.
On general operations, Buba said 106 terrorists were killed while 103 others were arrested even as 40 illegal refineries were destroyed.
“Across theatres of operation in the country. Troops during the week neutralised 106 terrorist and made 103 arrest. Troops also arrested 22 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 96 kidnapped hostages. In the South South, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of N754, 149,600.00.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 171 assorted weapons and 2,452 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: 47 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 18 pump action rifles, 17 locally fabricated guns, 14 Dane guns, 12 locally fabricated pistols, one fabricated revolver, one hand grenade, 81mm mortar bomb, one mortar tube and 4 bandoliers”, it said.
He listed others to include 995 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 468 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 317 live cartridges, 125 rounds of 9mm ammo, 313 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 13 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm, 19 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm, 167 empty shells of 7.62mm special ammo, 45 empty shells of 7.62mm NATO, 72 empty cases of cartridges, 14 magazines, 10 vehicles, 23 motorcycles, 19 mobile phones, one bicycles, 4 baofeng radios, and the sum of N112,920.00 amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 51 dugout pits, 17 boats, 15 storage tanks and 4 vehicles. Other items recovered include 21 cooking ovens, three pumping machines and 40 illegal refining sites.
“Troops recovered 772,350 liters of stolen crude oil, 80,530 liters of illegally refined AGO and 1,500 liters of DPK”, it said.
