TheCable

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has asked the police to find and prosecute those who killed 16 soldiers in Delta state.

The soldiers comprising a lieutenant ​colonel, two majors and captain were killed while on a peacekeeping mission on Thursday in Okuoma, Bomadi LGA of Delta state.

They had responded to a distress call after a communal clash broke out between the Okuama and Okoloba communities.

Some suspects have reportedly been arrested.

In a statement on Saturday, Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), commended the army for not responding by way of a reprisal attack on the communities.

“We join the members of civilized humanity in condemning the brutality meted out to the military officers and soldiers as they were deployed for a peacekeeping mission to resolve the crisis in two warring communities in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta state,” he said.

“We are, however, pleased to note that the military remains focused and committed to its mandate of maintaining peace and security in the country.

“Having regard to the massacre of innocent people when the military invaded Odi in Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam in Benue State in similar circumstances, we commend the military authorities for resisting the temptation to subject the two warring communities to a reprisal attack.

“By all means, the army should avoid a repeat of the history of having multiple tragedies.”

The human rights lawyer said the Delta state government and local authorities should assist the police in fishing out the killers so they could be prosecuted.