Lieutenant Commander Koku Imananagha [Rtd], a former Nigerian military officer, has thought back on the painful memories brought back by the tragic events in the Okuama community, where 16 soldiers lost their lives. He bemoaned how eerily the recent murders in Okuama and the incidents in Odi, Bayelsa state, mirrored each other. He emphasized that in order to stop other tragedies, a new strategy is required.
Drawing on Odi’s story, in which a single person’s activities resulted in extensive destruction, he called for cooperation in finding and prosecuting those who cause unrest in the community. He pleaded for strict adherence to the President’s orders in order to capture the offenders.
Many Nigerians have been worried about what would be the military response after 16 soldiers were beheaded in the Okuama community in Delta state. The Odi massacre remains a sad tale in the history of Nigeria. The Odi community which was razed down by the military after twelve police were believed to have been killed by the youths of the community.
He said in an interview with Arise TV, ”This actually brings about bad memories in Ughelli South. In Odi, we suffer the same and that’s why I’m pained to hear this kind of story again 25 years after. It was not easy at all because when it happened, both the military and also the community suffered from it. The military suffered their own losses and then the Odi community suffered total destruction. Nothing was spared in the community
When this killing happened in Okuama, my mind just went back to what happened to us in Odi. And my first advice is that as it happened to Odi, this one is also close by. Let it not be the usual pattern. Let them completely obey the command of Mr. President and go after the killers and also the community should cooperate with the military. In the case of Odi, it was only one indigene that participated with the other boys. I’m praying that these young men that have put that community into trouble be fished out.”
