The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged deaths of two Okuama community leaders while in Army custody.
The Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, a brigadier-general, disclosed this at the End-of-Year briefing by the Strategic Communications Interagency Committee, Office of the National Security Adviser, on Monday in Abuja.
The deceased leaders were James Oghoroko, the president-general of the Okuama community, and Denis Okugbaye, 81, the community’s treasurer.
|
|
|---|
It was reported that the duo died six days apart while being detained by the military.
The duo, along with four others – Arthur Ekpekpo, Belvis Adogbo, Mabel Owhemu, and Dennis Malaka – were arrested in August.
They had been detained in connection with the killing of 17 soldiers in the community on 14 March during a peace mission to resolve a dispute between the Okuama and Okoloba communities of Delta State.
Responding to questions, Mr Gusau said the chief of defence staff had directed the 6 Division Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations and submit its report on Monday, 16 December.
“Regarding allegations of deaths in detention over the weekend, headlines surfaced suggesting that individuals detained in connection with the Okuama incident had died.
“Immediately, the CDS directed an investigation to be conducted by the 6 Division. Any moment from now, we expect the findings on whether the claims are true or not. For now, these remain allegations.
“We are committed to uncovering the truth, and by tomorrow, we will have more details,” he said.
(NAN)
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
At Premium Times, we firmly believe in the importance of high-quality journalism. Recognizing that not everyone can afford costly news subscriptions, we are dedicated to delivering meticulously researched, fact-checked news that remains freely accessible to all.
Whether you turn to Premium Times for daily updates, in-depth investigations into pressing national issues, or entertaining trending stories, we value your readership.
It’s essential to acknowledge that news production incurs expenses, and we take pride in never placing our stories behind a prohibitive paywall.
Would you consider supporting us with a modest contribution on a monthly basis to help maintain our commitment to free, accessible news?
Make ContributionTEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999
![Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC, used to illustrate the story. [Photo credit: Wikipedia]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2018/04/Nigerian-Embassy-in-Washington-DC.jpg?fit=1200%2C618&ssl=1)
