President Bola Tinubu has vowed that those who killed officers of the Nigerian Army, who were on a peace mission in Delta State, will not go unpunished.
At least 16 soldiers were murdered as they tried to quell clashes between two communities in the South-South state of Delta.
The troops from the 181 Amphibious Battalion deployed in the Bomadi region, were on a peace-keeping mission in Okuoma community when they were killed on Thursday, March 14, said Brigadier General Tukur Gusau said in a statement on Saturday.
Fifteen bodies of the soldiers were reportedly recovered by soldiers of the Joint Task Force under the supervision of General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Jamal Abdussalam.
Responding to the development, Tinubu said, “The cowardly offenders responsible for this heinous crime will not go unpunished,” in a statement he personally signed on Sunday.
“The Defence Headquarters and Chief of Defence Staff have been granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people
“As the Commander-in-Chief, I join all well-meaning Nigerians and the men and women of our armed forces to mourn and express my profound grief over the needless death of our gallant soldiers,” he affirmed.
He also extended “profound condolences to the families of these fallen soldiers, their colleagues and their loved ones.”
