On Wednesday, service chiefs appeared before the Senate Joint Committee (which includes the Army, Navy, Defence, and Air Force committees) to begin an investigation into the gruesome killing of military personnel in Okuama, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, last Thursday.
A minute of silence was first observed for the souls of the fallen warriors.
Given the gravity of the situation, Ahmed Lawan, Chairman of the Joint Committee, announced that the investigative hearing will be place 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.
The Senate had on Tuesday ordered the probe into the killing and directed its Committee on Defence, Army, Navy, and Air Force to liaise with the Military authorities to get more information on the remote and immediate cause of what it described as “a dastardly act.”
The Defence Headquarters had on Monday released the list of 17 military personnel killed in the attack during a peace mission to warring communities in the area.
Days after the gruesome murder, the Defence Headquarters said 17 personnel including the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain, and 12 personnel of the battalion were among those killed.
The gruesome murder has continued to draw condemnation from authorities in Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu described it as an attack on the nation and gave marching orders to security agencies to fish out the masterminds of the attack.
“I extend my profound condolences to the families of these fallen soldiers, their colleagues, and their loved ones. The military high command is already responding to this incident. The cowardly offenders responsible for this heinous crime will not go unpunished.”