- Human Rights Lawyer Falana Warns Army Against Attack On Innocent People
In a heart-wrenching development, the Defence Headquarters, late on Monday released the list of 17 military personnel killed in an attack in Okuama, a community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State during a peace-keeping mission.
The Matrix reports that Nigerians woke up to the dreadful news of the unprovoked killing of some military personnel during a rescue mission in the community on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
The troops from the 181 Amphibious Battalion deployed in the Bomadi region, were responding to a crisis between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta State, when they were ambushed and, in the process, a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain, and thirteen soldiers sadly lost their lives.
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.
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“May The Souls of the Departed Rest In Peace,” the Nigerian Army wrote on its X handle alongside a photo collage of the personnel on Monday evening.
The Defence Headquarters gave the names of those killed as:
– Lt Col AH Ali, the Command Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion, Nigerian Army.
– Maj SD Shafa (N/13976)
– Maj DE Obi (N/14395)
– Capt U Zakari (N/16348)
– SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974)
– Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274)
– Col Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853)
– LCol Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844)
– Lal Sole Opeyemi (17NA/760719)
– LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290)
– LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653)
– LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191)
– Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079)
– Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911)
– Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162)
– Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079)
– Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, while condemning the attack, has also faulted the razing of the community.
“There are innocent people in Okuama who are as angry as the government in ensuring that the criminal elements are brought to justice but when you go and set their houses on fire and attack innocent people, you have offended domestic laws because it is right in our country that there is no vicarious liability in criminality,” Falana said on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“Nigeria domesticated the Geneva Convention in 1960 and under Article 33 of the Geneva Convention, collective punishment is prohibited. Innocent people cannot be attacked, even in a war situation”.
