- Calls For Independent Investigation
By Ken Afor
Mr. Mike Ejiofor, a former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), has criticized the involvement of the Nigerian Army in a peacekeeping mission that resulted in the gruesome murder of 17 of its personnel in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State, on Thursday, 14th, 2024.
Mr. Ejiofor, who expressed his views in a television interview, questioned the rationale behind deploying a significant number of military personnel, including high-ranking officers, to resolve a land dispute.
According to the security expert, for peacekeeping to occur, two parties must be involved: representatives from the communities or factions, and individuals from these communities must participate in a neutral location such as the local government headquarters to facilitate discussions and negotiations.
This approach, he said, would help ensure fairness and transparency in resolving disputes and promoting lasting peace.
Ejiofor urged the Federal Government to establish a thorough and independent investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deployment of the military personnel and the events leading to the tragic incident.
While emphasizing the need for an impartial inquiry, the former DSS boss stated that certain influential figures may be implicated.
He said: “The federal or state government should set up this or harmonise: the state government brings representatives, the federal government brings representatives to form a very high-powered, independent investigation that will come up with an objective report of what happened because as it is now, people are scampering, some people that might be indicted in this investigation, because a lieutenant colonel, two majors cannot on their own just move out on a peace-keeping mission in a community.
“There is so much to this incident that must be found out. The military is a party interested; they cannot undertake such an investigation.
“By now, the Federal Government or the state government must have set up an investigative panel to look into this matter because time is running out.
”We need to get to the root of this matter to know what really happened.
“If there is a peacekeeping, two parties must be involved; people from the two communities must be involved and a neutral ground will be taken, possibly the local government headquarters, if you are talking of peace initiative.”
