The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has accused youths of Okuama community in Delta State of removing vital body parts of the 17 slain soldiers.
Lagbaja disclosed that the 17 soldiers killed in Okuama community in Delta State were part of the finest men of the Nigerian Army.
The Army chief said their body parts were dismembered and scattered all over Okuama community.
Speaking during the burial of the slain 17 soldiers at the Military Cemetery in Abuja on Wednesday, Lagbaja said: “As a profession that deals with life and death, when soldiers die in the hands of the enemies of the state, we take it as dying for what the nation considers as a just cause, but when they are gruesomely murdered by the very people they are trained to protect, it is highly demoralizing.
“It’s no longer news that 17 of the Nigerian Army’s finest men were murdered in Okuama while on a legitimate peacekeeping mission.
“It grieves my heart that it took our search and recovery effort over 72 hours to recover some vital organs, the decapitated and disembowelled bodies of my men that were scattered all over the Okuama community by the youths.
“I consider it the most barbaric attack any citizen or community can commit against the state, and I must place on record that a lot of restraint has been exercised in our recovery effort for missing arms, ammunition, other equipment and body parts.
“The Nigerian Army will not be deterred by setbacks such as that of Okuama community.
“The Nigerian Army in conjunction with sister security agencies, is committed to bringing the perpetrators to book and recover all arms taken from the murdered troops.”