LAGOS: Sixteen Nigerian soldiers have been killed on a mission to stop clashes between two communities in the southern state of Delta, an army spokesman said on Saturday.
Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the acting director of defence information, stated that the troops deployed in the Bomadi region were ambushed and surrounded by youths from the communities on Thursday, March 14. The situation escalated when a reinforcement team also came under attack, resulting in the fatalities, including the commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and twelve soldiers.
The soldiers had responded to a distress call following ongoing tensions between the Okuama and Okoloba communities over land ownership issues. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and instructed for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
“So far, a few arrests have been made while steps (are) in place to unravel the motive behind the attack,” stated Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.
The clash between the two communities has reportedly been ongoing in recent weeks, with local media reporting several fatalities resulting from the disputes over land ownership.
