Senate Holds Crucial Meeting With Service Chiefs Over Killing of Soldiers in Delta

• The Senate is currently meeting with the nation's service chiefs following the death of several military personnel in Delta state
• The Senate Joint Committee ordered, noting specifically that perpetrators of the act must be brought to book
• Wednesday's session, led by the chairman of the joint committee (comprising Army, Navy, Defence and Airforce committees), Ahmed Lawan, will held behind closed doors

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

FCT, Abuja - On Wednesday, March 20, Service chiefs, appeared before the Senate Joint Committee to begin an investigative hearing on the gruesome killing of military personnel in the Okuama community in the Ughelli South local government area of Delta state, last Thursday, March 14.

As reported by Channels TV, a minute silence was first observed for the souls of the slain soldiers.

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Service chiefs present at the meeting

Given the sensitivity of the matter, the chairman of the joint committee (comprising Army, Navy, Defence and Airforce committees), Ahmed Lawan, disclosed that the investigative hearing will be held behind closed doors.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla were present at the meeting while the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, was represented.

Senate gives fresh order on Delta attack

The Senate had on Tuesday, March 19, ordered the probe into the killing and directed its committee on Defence, Army, Navy, and Air Force to collaborate with military authorities for further details and immediate cause of what it described as “a dastardly act.”

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They condemned the act and urged the government to swiftly identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators.

Delta attack: Community leader cautions against pointing fingers

Legit.ng reported earlier that a prominent figure in Delta state, Olorogun Sleek Oshare, voiced concerns about the undue strain on Okuoma town.

Oshare emphasised that the perpetrators behind the tragic killing of 17 security agents in Okuoma, Ughelli South local government area, remain unidentified.

He highlighted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already mandated a comprehensive investigation.

His words:

“It (the soldiers' killing) is a painful thing, but I do not want to accept that they were killed by my people. Nobody knows who killed them and that’s why the president (Bola Tinubu) has ordered that a thorough investigation should be made.

“To start pointing fingers at some people and saying ‘your people killed them’, I don’t think is fair at this moment.”

Source: Legit.ng