Families of the slain soldiers have said they have been left without any support following the gruesome murder of their breadwinners by Okuama youths.
The families, speaking with LEADERSHIP after the burial of their beloved ones at the National cemetery, took turns to lament their agony and urged the military to fish out the perpetrators of the barbaric act.
Mama Theresa Ukem, mother of the late Major Obi, said she does not know how to survive without her son who was the breadwinner.
She said Obi, a father of four, was a very good man.
She thanked the military high command for recovering her son’s remains for proper burial.
“Major Obi is a nice son to me. Very good man. In everything he is good. I miss him, I miss Obi. I don’t know how I’ll live without him. Who will take care of me as a widow? Obi was my son, who will help me in his absence?
“Obi has four children, three from the housewife and one from outside. I can only thank the government for all they have done for us. That they brought our son and I even buried him, I say thank you. God will reward all of you for what you have done for us.
“I leave his killers to God. It is God that will fight the battle, I cannot fight it. It is Nigeria that will fight the battle. As for me, I leave them to God.”
Also, Ahmed Abutu, brother of the late LCpl Abdul Ibrahim, said he was a breadwinner and devoted Muslim.
He urged the federal government and security agencies to bring to book the perpetrators.
He said, “It is a sad event; we have lost a brother that is the breadwinner of the family. He was a man of peace, he was a Muslim to the core. He was a man that if you don’t say go, he won’t go. He respected everybody in the family. He was very caring.
“We received the news with great shock because it’s unexpected. He was not somebody that was troublesome. He was not somebody you will find where he was not supposed to be, and so when the news came, it was so sad. It’s a great loss to the family. There is nothing that will compensate for the life of a man. He died fighting for this country, so that is our consolation. So if the government feels that this is what they can do, according to Mr President that this is what they can do for the family, we appreciate them.
“For the perpetrators, a criminal is not supposed to live in the society, so anywhere they are, they should fish them out. Our security agencies should go out day and night to bring these people to book. We’ll be grateful.”
Mrs Hanatu Hamman, mother of the late LCpl Peter Hamman who was emotional, said Peter was all she had and he would always respond whenever she needed help.
“This my son, anything I say he’ll hear me. As he joined the Army, he was the one that gave me money to feed and even take care of my health when I’m down. When anything happens to me, I’ll call him at once and he will send me money to solve my problem. Now that he is no more, I still give God the glory. I’m in God’s hand now, I don’t have anyone to run to for help. Those soldiers that survived, may God help and protect them as they do their job. My son was planning to get married before his death.” (she broke down in tears).
Warrant Officer Zakari Aliu, the father of the late Captain U. Zakari, said the deceased left a pregnant wife behind.
He, however, said he would still allow any of his children interested in the military to join since it was a career hazard known to him and the family.
“He was a very obedient son. As a father, anytime I speak to him, he would look down. He would not raise his head to look at my eyes. He was my first son. Since the time he joined the military, no accusing fingers were pointed at him by his colleagues. He stayed with me all through his schooling days; it was after he graduated from the university that he joined the Army through a short service combatant commission. Since he joined, I never heard any bad thing against him. He joined the service in 2015.
“He is married with no child yet. He was expecting one before his death. His wife is pregnant.”
He further called on Nigerians to keep praying for the families and support them in any way they can.
“It hurts me as a father when I heard it but it is something you cannot prevent. I am a soldier who spent 35 years in service.
“I will allow my son to still join the military. What happened is an accident. I joined it and I finished successfully. I was untouched throughout my service year. This can happen to anyone at any time. It is an accident.”
For the perpetrators, he said, “I leave them in the hands of the federal government. They are already handling that.”
National Honours for Slain Military Men
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has conferred posthumous national honours on the 17 military personnel killed in Delta state.
The military personnel comprising four officers and 13 soldiers were killed by some irate youths in Delta state during a peace mission on March 14.
Speaking at the burial ceremony Tinubu said the officers would be honoured with the Member of the Niger, MON, while the soldiers will get the Officers of the Order Niger, OON.
“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.
‘They have all been awarded posthumous national honours. The four gallant Officers have been accorded the Award of Member of the Order of Niger (MON). The thirteen courageous soldiers who also lost their lives have been awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic Medal”.
He also promised to provide housing for each of the families of the 4 officers and 13 soldiers in any part of the country.
The federal government also approved scholarships up to university for children of the deceased, including the unborn one.
President Tinubu directed military high command pay the benefits of the fallen heroes within 90 days
The Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has said the slain soldiers left behind four pregnant wives, 10 widows and 21 orphans.
Lagbaja stated this at the burial of the 17 soldiers killed on 14 March 2024 in Delta State.
He said the death of soldiers was ‘highly demoralizing.’
He said it took over 72 hours to recover some vital organs of the decapitated and disemboweled bodies of the soldiers that were scattered all over the Okuama community by the community youths and their friends.
“The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigeria state, 10 windows (three of whom are 4, 5, and 8 months pregnant), 21 orphans, and many other dependents which include parents,” he said.
“I consider it the most barbaric act any citizen or community can commit against the authority of the state, and I must place on record that a lot of restraints have been exercised so far in our search and recovery efforts for missing arms, ammunition, other equipment, and body parts.”
The COAS, while commiserating with the families of these fallen soldiers, assured that the Nigerian Army and Nigerians will not leave them in the cold.
“We shall do all within our power to provide succour to them and preserve the memories of their departed loved ones,” he said, adding that the Nigerian Army remains committed to bringing the perpetrators of the Okuama murder to book and recovering all service and personal belongings taken from the murdered troops.
He added that the Nigerian Army will continue to seek the cooperation of all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly in the affected area, toward swift and successful conduct of our search and recovery operations.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa said the military would hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“To the perpetrators of violence, who seek to sow division and fear among our people, know this: our resolve will not waver. We will hunt you down, we will bring you to justice, and we will restore peace and security to every nook and cranny of our dear nation”.
He assured families of the fallen heroes that they were not alone in grief as the entire nation and the Armed Forces mourn with and stand ready to support them in every way possible.
