Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, has made a shocking accusation against the youths of Okuama community in Delta State. He stated that these youths removed vital body parts from the 17 soldiers who were tragically slain.
Disclosing that the 17 soldiers who lost their lives in Okuama were among the most skilled members of the Nigerian Army, Lagbaja expressed his dismay at the gruesome act of dismembering their bodies and scattering the parts throughout the community.
During the burial of the fallen soldiers at the Military Cemetery in Abuja, Lagbaja condemned the heinous act, saying, “When soldiers die in combat, it is a sacrifice for the nation’s cause. However, being brutally murdered by the very people they protect is deeply demoralizing.”
He further added, “The recovery effort took over 72 hours to retrieve crucial organs and the mutilated remains of my comrades, which had been callously dispersed by the youths in Okuama.”
Expressing his outrage, Lagbaja emphasized that such barbaric attacks against the state cannot be tolerated and stressed the dedication of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice and reclaim the arms stolen from the slain troops.
Despite the setback in Okuama, he asserted, “The Nigerian Army remains resolute and will continue its mission with unwavering determination.”