By ADEYEMI ADELEYE

A group, Concerned Ijaw Citizens, has called on traditional rulers, elders and other members of Okuama and neighbouring communities in Delta to give adequate cooperation in the search for the killers of 17 military personnel in Okuama in March.

The Coordinator of the group, Chief Manager Seigha, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He condemned the killing and said that adequate support and cooperation of all would facilitate arrest and prosecution of suspects.

NAN reports that the personnel, killed on March 14, were from the 181 Amphibious Battalion.

They were ambushed and killed in Okuama Town in Ughelli South Local Government Area while responding to a distress call, following a communal clash.

Seigha described the killing as barbaric, saying that there must be justice for the personnel.

“We, as Ijaw elders, feel very sad. We sympathise with the families of the officers. As elders, we want those people to be arrested and prosecuted.

“Those that killed the army officers must be brought to justice so that such a thing is not repeated anywhere.

“We are not killers, we don’t believe in it. We are surprised that it happened in our own environment.

“We want the government to do everything possible within the law to make sure that those people are brought to book,” Seigha said.

He said that the military should be given an opportunity to search for and mop up arms held by criminals in the communities.

Seigha said that the killing of the military personnel had left innocent citizens in the area in fear.

He urged the federal and Delta governments to do more to bring peace to the area.

He said that communal clashes in the area should be tackled permanently to allow peace to reign in communities.

“A lot of people are now in the forest, the soldiers have taken over the environment, not just Okuama.

“People cannot go to farms, even those at home are afraid.

“Our prayer is that peace should come to the communities,” he said.

Seigha urged authorities to get to the root of incessant conflicts between Okoloba Community and Okuama Community of Delta.

He appealed to members of the communities to allow governments and the military to search for and arrest the killers of the military personnel. (NAN)

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