By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, has assured that his administration will take care of the family members of the 17 military personnel who were gruesomely murdered in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta state.
The president promised to place the children of the slain soldiers on scholarship programs, adding that he will also provide housing facilities for the family members left behind by the gallant soldiers.
In the same vein, Tinubu also conferred national honors on 17 members of the Nigerian Army who were killed in Delta State.
He also directed the payment of death benefits to the family members within 90 days.
He announced these during the burial ceremony of the slain servicemen at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
The corpses of the soldiers, which arrived at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja at about 2:26 pm on Wednesday, were committed to mother death after burial rites were observed.
Tinubu posthumously conferred the national honor of Member of the Order of the Niger on the Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).
He also conferred the honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger on SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290); LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).
It would be recalled that the troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuoma Community were ambushed and killed by some irate youths.
The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call following a communal crisis between Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta State.
The personnel comprised one Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, one Captain, and 13 soldiers.
