Olorogun Sleek Oshare, a prominent community leader in Delta State, has shed light on the underlying cause behind the brutal killing of 17 military personnel during a peacekeeping mission in the Okuama community. The revelation came during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where Oshare detailed the connection between a land dispute and the tragic incident.
The shocking murder of 17 officers deployed for peacekeeping duties in the Okuama community of Delta State sent shockwaves through the nation last week. In a bid to provide context to the heinous crime, Olorogun Sleek Oshare shared insights during an interview, highlighting the role of a land dispute in the fatal attack.
Oshare disclosed that the military personnel had been present in the area as part of efforts to mediate and resolve a longstanding land dispute between the Okuama community and a neighboring locality. The escalation of tensions stemming from the land conflict culminated in the tragic loss of the peacekeepers, underscoring the volatile nature of the situation.
He said, “The quarrel was just a land dispute between one family and another family and land disputes happen over and over again.
“One community felt that the other had a military connection and they were being pressured unnecessarily. The pressure is more on Okuoma and they don’t have anybody to speak for them.
“In the whole narrative, you don’t hear the name of the other community. Where is Okoloba? In the last two days, Okoloba has disappeared because they are also afraid.
“Sometimes, it is made to look as if it were an ethnic thing. It was just a dispute between individuals and Okoloba, which seems to have more connections.
Oshare said there should be restraints after the community was razed following the killing.
“At this point, we should be careful whom we point fingers at, there might be some people who want to incite the authorities against the people of Okuama.
“The families that were involved in the dispute are highly placed. Until we go into the real investigation, the truth will not come out.
“It is then the nation will come out to sympathize with the children, pregnant women, and old people who could have lost their lives in the random shootings.”
As investigations into the killings continue, the Federal Government, Delta State authorities, and military officials have expressed determination to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the deadly assault. The collective vow to bring the culprits to justice reflects a unified stance against violence and underscores the gravity of the incident that claimed the lives of dedicated military personnel.
