A group, Concerned Ijaw Citizens, has called on traditional rulers, elders and other members of Okuama and neighbouring communities in Delta to give adequate cooperation in the search for the killers of 17 military personnel in Okuama in March.

The coordinator of the group, Manager Seigha, made the call in an interview in Lagos. He condemned the killing and said that adequate support and cooperation of all would facilitate the arrest and prosecution of suspects.

The soldiers killed on March 14 were from the 181 Amphibious Battalion. They were ambushed and killed in Okuama Town in Ughelli South LGA while responding to a distress call following a communal clash.

Mr Seigha described the killing as barbaric, saying there must be justice for the slain soldiers.

“We, as Ijaw elders, feel very sad. We sympathise with the families of the officers. As elders, we want those people to be arrested and prosecuted. Those that killed the army officers must be brought to justice so that such a thing is not repeated anywhere.

“We are not killers. We don’t believe in it. We are surprised that it happened in our own environment. We want the government to do everything possible within the law to make sure that those people are brought to book,” Mr Seigha said.

He explained that the military should be allowed to search for and mop up arms held by criminals in the communities. Mr Seigha said that the killing of the military personnel had left innocent citizens in the area in fear.

He urged the federal and Delta governments to do more to bring peace to the area and to permanently tackle communal clashes so that peace could reign in communities.

“A lot of people are now in the forest. The soldiers have taken over the environment, not just Okuama. People cannot go to farms. Even those at home are afraid. Our prayer is that peace should come to the communities,” he said.

Mr Seigha urged authorities to get to the root of incessant conflicts between Okoloba and Okuama of Delta. He appealed to members of the communities to allow governments and the military to search for and arrest the killers of the military personnel.

(NAN)