By Ovasa Ogaga,
The House of Representatives member representing the entire people of Ughelli North Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency Rt. Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive (MHR), has expressed shock over the killings of soldiers and civilians in Okuama Community of Ewu Clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State.The federal lawmaker while appealing for calm, vehemently condemned these acts of violence, leading to the killing of some military personnel and civilians, emphasizing the need for an immediate ceasefire and the restoration of peace and order.
Recall that the Okuama community has been plunged into mourning following the senseless killings of officers and men of the armed forces, the aftermath is the rising down of the community causing a humanitarian crisis.
Waive who is also Chairman House Committee on Rules and Business, now that the bodies of the fallen soldiers have been recovered at Forcados River, called for a thorough and unbiased investigation to ascertain the place where the soldiers were killed and their actual killers.
He emphasised the need for a thorough and unbiased investigation to uncover the truth behind these heinous acts and ensure that the perpetrators face justice, noting that; "whoever did this must be found and punished according to law."
Expressing empathy for the affected families and the Army institutions, Rt. Hon. Waive urged for unity and collective action to prevent further bloodshed and destruction. He called upon both the Okuama Community and its neighbouring communities to embrace peace and refrain from retaliatory actions.
According to him: "I received with utter shock news of the killings in Okuama Community of Ewu Clan in Ughelli South LGA (a part of my constituency). I must begin by calling on all parties in the dispute to a ceasefire and allow peace to reign.
"I condemn in its entirety the taking of human life and console with families and institutions affected. We simply cannot return to the Old Stone Age. I am particularly appalled by the reported killing of officers and men of our armed forces and demand that a full-scale unbiased investigation be carried out to ascertain the real culprits.
"There is no need to accuse and counter-accuse one another or violently label anyone until reliable investigation with proof, fish out the killers to face justice. In this nation, we hold our armed forces in the highest esteem. It is not an acceptable norm to willfully attack and kill our good officers and men on patriotic duty to protect and defend our territorial integrity and collective peace and security.
"During the years these avoidable attacks have lingered, Okuama Community has always been the theatre of the fightings, suggesting that they are the ones being attacked. Had these attacks been nipped in the bud as they ought to be, we wouldn’t come to this edge of the precipice.
"As sad and painful as it is, this is, however, a moment to reflect as true patriots and our brothers’ keepers to put a stop to these bloody attacks that have become incessant.
"I am at a loss how a community of only a few hundred inhabitants can inflict this level of damage on our military. I worry if there are no fifth columnists and other vested interests at play. But I believe a thorough, unbiased and professional investigation will unveil this mystery.
"Reports have it that the bodies of our fallen officers and men of the military were found in the community and on the Forcados River. There is a need to unveil the place of their killing and the actual killers. Whoever did this must be found and punished according to law.
"The burning down of the Okuama Community is not a solution to the problems at hand. I call on the military to exercise maximum restraint in their response and abide by internationally accepted protocols in the face of this provocation.
"I call on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately set up modalities to assist those displaced at this difficult time.
"We must all realize that land belongs to God. We get it here and will leave it when we exit this world. So too is human life. Nobody has the right to take the life of another.
"I call on our beloved people of the Okuama Community to calm down and ensure they allow peace to reign. I also call on our dear people who are their neighbours to do the same.
"The military authorities, the State Government and the Communities should cooperate in the investigations and find lasting solutions to this crisis according to law and the tenets of good conscience."
