Fact-check: Did Soldiers Burn Down Houses, Wipe-out Lives In Okuama?

Seventeen military personnel were killed in a shooting incident in Okuama-Ewu, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on March 14, by unknown gunmen.

This incident led to shock in Nigeria, prompting the military to deploy forces to the area. Authorities at both federal and state levels called on the soldiers to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

Media reports indicated that houses were set on fire and residents were harmed when the soldiers arrived, but the military authority disagreed on this position.

What Led To The Crisis
A leader from the Okuama-Ewu community provideddetails about the events that led to the deaths of the soldiers and residents on March 14. The leader revealed that a dispute over land between Okuama and Okoloba in Bomadi Local Government Area prompted a leader from Okoloba to lead soldiers to Okuama to pursue “a personal agenda.”

The Okuama leader clarified that there was a wanted militant leader by soldiers, Amagbein, and he is not from Okuama and has no ties to the community.

The Army arrived on the day when the Okuama-Ewu people were at the farm, and they were called for a meeting with “visitors.” According to him, the “visitors,” who turned out to be soldiers responding to a kidnapping complaint, requested to search the community.

In spite of finding nothing, the soldiers attempted to take the community leaders with them, leading to a confrontation and ultimately resulting in casualties on both sides. The military later accused Okuama of killing Army personnel, leading to further violence and the destruction of the community.

Regardless of claims of reprisal attacks, theNigerian Army denied being responsible for the violence, suggesting that it may have been carried out by a rival community.

The Director of Defense Media Operations stated that the community was deserted before the troops arrived and urged the public to stop spreading “false information.”

The question remains whether the Nigerian soldiers retaliated against Okuama-Ewu after losing 17 personnel.

Pointing Out Army’s Falsehood
During our forensic investigation of the military's claim, we found instances where they were not truthful, using existing data to rebuff their mendacity.

Vanguardnewspaper reported on April 21 about a manhunt for Okuama soldiers killers, stating that gunboats fired on approaching community members, resulting in many deaths.

The report mentioned that armed soldiers invaded Igbomotoru 2 community in search of those responsible for killing 17 soldiers in Okuama, Delta State. Approximately 20 youths were reportedly killed during the military operation.

In the face of the heavy military presence in Igbomotoru 2, where the wanted militant leader Amagbein was believed to be hiding, a gunboat remained stationed at the community jetty.

Even with the military's denial of carrying out a reprisal attack, the well-respected Nigerian Channels Television, a multi-award-winning 24-hour news and media organization established in 1992, published a story on March 17 immediately after news of the death of 17 soldiers emerged.

The story was titled "Delta Community Razed After Killing Of Soldiers." To date, there has been no legal action taken by the Nigerian Army against Channels Television for potentially broadcasting the story.

The notable television network publishedon its website that residents of the coastal community had fled to neighboring Ughelli out of fear of reprisal by the soldiers patrolling the creeks.

The source reported that angry soldiers may have committed the act following the killing of their colleagues.

Aside the military's denial of any reprisal attack on the community, they can’t deny that Mr. Bernard Esegba, the Secretary-General of the community, hasdeclared Okuama-Ewu's opposing stance in a supporting affidavit for the N151 billion lawsuit against various government entities.

The lawsuit was filed at the Federal High Court in Warri, with Professor Arthur Ekpekpo, President General of Ewu Clan Development Forum, wanted by the Defence Headquarters, as the first applicant.

The second and third applicants are Mr. James Oghoroko and Mr. Esegba, representing the Okuama community. An article titled " Over100 Natives Allegedly Killed in Okuama-Ewu Attack " was published by Urhobo Today on May 13.

The report states that more than 100 individuals, comprising men, women, and children, were allegedly killed in separate attacks on Okuama and Ewu-Urhobo by the military.

According to the source, the death toll in the Okuama community, including men, women, and children from the Okoloba tribe, is said to be 101.

In a PremiumTimes article titled "The casualties of Okuama," Reuben Abati discusses how Nigerians have been dehumanized by the country's hardships and bad politics, leading to violence and impunity. Those who politicize murder are victims of their own primal emotions.

Conclusion: Rope On Army’s Neck
An analyst claimed that soldiers cannot deny their involvement in the killing of innocent natives in the affected area, referring to incidents where soldiers were allegedly involved in nefarious activities during invasions.

The analyst stated that the Army has an allegedly history of taking sides in conflict situations, especially “when money is involved, and are not effective crisis managers.”

According to the source, the accounts of the Okuama community should not be disregarded, as the Army has been accused of similar acts in pastconflicts in Warri and other areas .

In an article titled "Vengeance or justice: What should the army pursue in Okuama?" published on BusinessDay on March 24, 2024, Ignatius Chukwu argues earlier that past incidents of soldiers being killed in Zaki Biam and Odi resulted in retaliatory massacres. The recent killings of soldiers in Okuama, Delta State, have led to fears of a similar revenge attack, prompting the people to flee the area in anticipation of retaliation.

The analyst suggested that the Army may be exacerbating crises in Delta State “by aligning with the highest bidders” and called for an independent investigation to determine the root causes of the current crisis.

“It is important for the Army to conduct themselves professionally and impartially while carrying out their duties,” said the analyst.

· Onwumere is Chairman, Advocacy Network on Religious and Cultural Coexistence (ANORACC). He contributed this piece via: [email protected]