President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday made good his pledge to honour the 17 military personnel killed in Okuama community of Delta State.
He described the fallen officers as brave, noble and patriotic men, adding that they will forever be remembered as heroes who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate price.
The fallen officers who got the posthumous honours from the Federal Government include 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.
Others are Lance Corporal Abdullahi Ibrahim, Lance Corporal Bulus Haruna, Lance Corporal Sole Opeyemi, Lance Corporal Bello Anas; Private Alhaji Isah,
Private Clement Francis, Private Abubakar Ali, Private Adamu Ibrahim, Private Hamman Peter, and Private Ibrahim Adamu.
The four officers were given the national honour or Member of the Order of Niger (MON) while 13 others were awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic Medal.
Besides the awards, Tinubu also announced house gifts and scholarships for families of the departed soldiers.
The troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, met their untimely death while on a peace mission to Okuama, a community in Delta State, as they were surrounded and killed by some irate youths.
The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call following a communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta State.
DAILY POST reports that the troops were led by Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion.
Speaking at the burial, Tinubu paid special tributes to Ali, recalling a brief conversation he had with the Chief of Army Staff.
“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 within the continent, the sub-region and across the world, the Nigerian Military has remained a force for good, embodying a great example and keeping the country’s democracy safe.
