The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has slammed the Nigerian Army over the invasion of the Okuama community in the Ughelli South LGA of Delta State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB said youths of the Okuama community were not responsible for the killing of 16 Army officers and soldiers who were on a peacekeeping mission.
The proscribed organisation said rather, it was the military that carried out genocide in the community and called on the Nigerian government to constitute a panel of inquiry to unravel the truth behind the invasion.
The statement reads: "The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great liberator Mazi Nnamdi Kanu condemn the Nigerian Military invasion and genocide against the peaceful riverine community of Okuama of Urhobo in Ughelli south LGA of Delta State.
"According to the reports, Nigerian soldiers went to the Okuama community for a supposed peace talk in a minor but prolonged dispute between them and the Okoloba, an Ijaw community in Bomadi LGA Bayelsa State. When the military arrived at Okuama, the villagers welcomed and entertained them.
"The supposed peace talk took a dramatic turn when the soldiers said they would take some of the community leaders for further questioning and the refusal of the community to allow the abduction of their leaders. The refusal of the community to let military men take the leaders away infuriated the soldiers, who started shooting live bullets at the persons at the community Town hall, killing scores of men, women and children on the spot.
"Later in the day, more reinforced soldiers entered the community with gunboats and killed more people. Again, on 15th March, the irate soldiers went back to the Okuama community and razed down the entire community. The entire Community has been displaced, with no one to bury the murdered people.
"For record purposes, those Nigerian Army personnel they claimed were killed in Delta State were not killed by Okuama youths. NO Nigerian Soldier was murdered by the Okuama community.
"There were reports that suggest that the soldiers were murdered by Sea pirates, and their bodies were recovered along the Forcados River. If this is the case, why then did Soldiers invade peaceful and defenceless communities to mass murder people and raze down their houses?
"Why not go after the militants that killed their personnel? The Nigerian military derives so much joy in falsehood and propaganda when it comes to the Biafran Nation's matters.
"The Nigerian government must constitute a panel of inquiries to unravel the truth behind the military genocide against the Okuama Community in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State."
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