The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, has condemned the extral judicial killing of the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian army in Okuama community of Delta State.
He therefore described the act as a national disaster and an affront to the security agencies in Nigeria.
The monarch also said that the cruel killing committed in the Okuama community was a serious infringement that needed to be addressed.
Oba Akanbi made this comment in a statement by his spokesperson, Alli Ibraheem, on Tuesday in Osogbo.
The traditional maintained that the federal government must intensify efforts at bringing the culprits to book.
While sympathising the federal government, the Nigerian Army, and the immediate families of the victims, he challenged traditional rulers to take responsibility.
He stated that a timely intervention by the community rulers could have averted the massacre.
“An attack on the Nigerian troops is an attack on Nigeria itself. A security sacrilege, aberration, and abomination have been committed by the people of the Okuoma community. The murdered soldiers are servants on peace missions to quench warring towns.
“While commiserating with the immediate family of the victims and the Nigerian Army, I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government to unravel the identity of the perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice.
“The community rulers, mostly the monarchs, should be alert to their responsibilities. Such heinous crimes can never happen under watch. The local government chairmen, who are the official security officers, should also brace up. If you can’t control your people at such a fragile moment, it tells a lot about your leadership credits.
“The occurrence is not an external representation of our military. It’s not an indication of calm security. The government must ensure the perpetrators are duly punished to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
It would be recalled that 16 military officers, comprising a lieutenant colonel, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers, were annihilated on a peacekeeping mission in Okuoma community, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.
