Jonathan Nwokpor
The 17 military personnel killed in the Delta State community of Okuama were honored by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.
He praised the fallen officers as brave, honorable, and patriotic men and said they would always be remembered as heroes who gave their all when called upon to carry out their duty.
Lieutenant Colonel Ali, Major D.E. Obi, Major S.D. Ashafa, Captain U. Zakari, Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu, Corporal Danbaba Yahaya, and Corporal Kabir Bashir are some of the fallen officers who received posthumous honors from the Federal Government.
Lance Corporal Bulus Haruna, Lance Corporal Sole Opeyemi, Lance Corporal Bello Anas, Lance Corporal Abdullahi Ibrahim, Private Clement Francis, Private Abubakar Ali, Private Adamu Ibrahim, Private Hamman Peter, and Private Ibrahim Adamu are the Others.
Thirteen others received the Officer of the Federal Republic Medal, and the four officers received the national honor of being named Members of the Order of Niger (MON).
Tinubu offered scholarships and house gifts for the families of the fallen soldiers in addition to the awards.
While on a peace mission to Okuama, a community in Delta State, the troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area, met an unexpected end when they were cornered and killed by some enraged youths.
The incident happened after a communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta State prompted the troops to respond to a distress call.
ZINGTIE reports that Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, was in charge of the troops.
Recalling his brief interaction with the Chief of Army Staff, Tinubu spoke at the burial and paid special respect to Ali.
“Before the dastardly attack, Lt. Colonel Ali, as the Chief of Army Staff briefed me, enjoyed great operational exploits; fighting terrorists and insurgents in the North East and North West before his deployment to the Niger Delta.
“Ali kept faith with his military calling till the end. On behalf of a grateful nation, we honour the sacrifice of Ali and the other gallant patriots who died that day.
“Each man now belongs to the hallowed list of servicemen and women who defended our country and protected their fellow Nigerians not minding the risk to their own lives.”
Speaking further, the President said, “I commiserate with the families of our fallen heroes and the entire Armed Forces. I share in the pain and grief you carry today. It is my prayer that God will comfort all who are bereaved as a result of this tragedy. It is worth restating the debt of gratitude we owe these valiant soldiers and their families.
“As Commander-In-Chief, I do not take the contributions of members of our Armed Forces for granted. I recognise your valour and bravery. I honour your unflinching commitment to making our country safe from criminals, bandits, kidnappers and insurrectionists.
“While we continue to grieve for the courageous men we lost that day, let us also, on this solemn occasion, be reminded of the unfinished business of working for peace and harmony in our communities.
“We must begin to rebuild our communities and make them into places where love, tolerance and harmony will reign. Leaders at all levels especially community leaders and traditional rulers must work to strengthen the bonds that unite us. We must end the cycle of violence and bloodletting.
“I want to make it clear, once more, that those who committed this heinous crime will not go unpunished. We will find them and our departed heroes will get justice.
“The elders and chiefs of Okuama also have a duty to help the military in fishing out the gunmen who committed the barbaric crime against our men.
“I wish to also commend our Armed Forces for their restraint in choosing not to carry out any reprisal attacks in Okuama or its neighbouring communities. We must all ensure that the innocent people of Okuama are not made to bear the punishment of the guilty and wicked among them.”
Speaking directly to the entire Armed Forces, he said, “I have a message for you: Do not let the death of your compatriots discourage you. There is no higher honour than the vocation you have chosen to pursue. We cherish you.
“We cherish your labour of love. We salute your daily sacrifice in protecting your fellow citizens from danger. We acknowledge your sacrifices to defend our nation.”
Tinubu noted that the Nigerian military has continued to be a force for good on the continent, in the subregion, and worldwide, setting a magnificent example and preserving the nation’s democracy.
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