How to fish out killers of 16 soldiers in Delta - Clark

Elder statesman, Edwin Clark has waded into the conversations surrounding the killing of 16 soldiers in the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The Ijaw leader says it is difficult to believe the murder of the soldiers and a civilian was executed by mercenaries.

Speaking in an interview on Arise Television’s News programme monitored by MyNigeria.com, Clark opined the leaders of the various communities involved in the dastardly act must be questioned for the act, adding that nobody should be treated as a sacred cow.

Clark had earlier described the incident as shocking, barbaric and wicked. He advised the hierarchy of the military to liaise with the communities to work together to fish out the perpetrators of the act.

He said: “Well that is difficult to believe. I don’t think we should expect this thing. Let’s look at ourselves. As I said, I spoke to the Lt Col on Thursday and he went to the place on Thursday and died.

“Except they had information they were going to Okuama. Otherwise, nobody knew they were going there.

“People to come from outside to waylay them, to surround them is a matter they should investigate. We can’t rule anything out but at the same time let us look at ourselves.

“The leaders of the various communities must be brought together, and find out from them, nobody should be treated as a sacred cow.

“I may say this: I am an Ijaw man and I will be the last person to allow this type of matter to degenerate to a situation whereby we have inter-communal fracas or fight”.

No fewer than 16 Nigerian soldiers were killed while on a mission to douse clashes between two communities in the state.

The deceased were two Majors, one Captain, and 12 soldiers, according to the Defence Headquarters.

According to a statement by the Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, the troops from the 181 Amphibious Battalion were deployed in the Bomadi region and were on a peace-keeping mission in the Okuoma community when they were killed on Thursday.

The killings have been condemned by many stakeholders with President Bola Tinubu vowing that the perpetrators will not go unpunished.