Three weeks after di killing of 16 soldiers for Okuama community for Delta State, southern Nigeria, pipo neva still get access to enta or comot for di community.

Dis na sake of military operation wey still dey go on for di community and oda communities wey dey connected to di incident.

For Arise TV, Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa give reasons why residents of Okuama for Delta State not fit get access to dia homes days afta di military take ova di community.

E explain say di military operation dey so serious dat even di govnor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, no get access to di community becos di security agencies dey carry out a cordon and search operation for di area as dem neva still recova di arms and ammunition of di killed in-action troops.

“We currently dey conduct a cordon and search in di community. Cordon and search operation mean say we dey search evri nook and cranny within di community becos dem get a lot of illegal funds from crude oil theft.

Dem don buy a lot of weapons. So na for us to thoroughly clean di community to ensure say no weapon, no explosive dey left in di community. I fit tell you say at di end of di operation, residents of di community go always go back,” e tok.

Remember say Okuama and Okoloba communities bin don get communal clash wey happun bifor di killing of di military personnel.

On 14 March 2024, youths suspected to be from Okuama working wit some oda suspects allegedly ambush and murder di Commanding Officer of 181 Army Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain and 13 soldiers wit one civilian.

Defence Headquarters say dem attack di troops while dem bin dey respond to a distress call wey arise from a clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities for Delta State.

On 28 March, 2024, di military authorities bury di killed soldiers wit honours.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu along with govnors of Delta and Bayelsa States also attend di burial for Abuja, capital of Nigeria.

Following di investigations so far, Defence headquarters don declare eight suspects wanted in connection wit di brutal murder of di military personnel.

Of di eight suspects dem declare wanted, only one of dem, di traditional ruler of Okuama Community don turn imsef in to di authorities.

‘Army dey authorized to make arrests’ - Chief of Defence Staff

“Di army dey authorised to make arrests becos we get a joint interrogation center,” na so di Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa tok as e address accusations by some Niger Delta communities including Okuama, say di military dey overstep dia authority by investigating civilians.

Dis criticism dey come becos of di Nigerian constitution and Armed Forces Act wey mandate police to handle such mata, not di military.

Gen. Musa explain say di army no dey act unlawfully or take mata into dia own hands, becos dem dey legally deployed and authorised to make arrests and to interrogate.

“We happy say di Commander in Chief don give us a mandate to recova di arms and to arrest di perpetrators. A lot of comments don come out by different kinds of pipo, some from lack of understanding.

"Wen you have a Joint Task Force, Joint Task Force involve members of di armed forces, dat is di army, Navy, Air Force, we get di police, di DSS, evri oda security agency na part of am. So wen we make arrests, we get a joint investigation team, e no be like say di army dey take laws into dia hands. Once we dey deployed on operation, we get di right and di mandate to arrest all acts of criminality within dat area," e explain.

Gen. Musa make am clear say dem take criminal actions against security personnel veri seriously as e explain say, “di military dey established as di authority of di goment to protect Nigeria. Dat na why we take am veri seriously wen criminals take laws into dia hands against members of di armed forces or any security agency or any citizen of di kontri.”

Musa add say di attack on di soldiers na becos of dia efforts to eliminate illegal activities like pipeline vandalisation and oil theft from di area, and say di soldiers no fit defend demsefs from di attackers becos dem go Okuama Community unarmed.

E urge dose wey dey declared wanted to submit demsefs for investigation and express happiness say di traditional ruler for Okuama don surrender imsef as e ask odas to do same.

“We no be animals. We no dey barbaric. If dem no touch our armed forces nobodi for dey dia. We don live peacefully wit dem and for most communities we dey provide amenities for dem just to show say we no be occupational army, we be di Nigerian Armed Forces and we dey for Nigeria to make sure say Nigeria dey peaceful.”