The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has said the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State was premeditated.
Musa also said that some traditional rulers and members of the Okuama community are complicit in the ambush and murder of the soldiers.
Naija News recalls that 17 soldiers, including the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain, and 12 personnel of the battalion, were on March 14 killed by militants in Okuama.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Musa said the monarchs and members of the community may not have been directly involved in the killings, but they cannot deny that they knew what was happening. 
The CDS promised that the military would respond to the killing of the soldiers legally.
He said, “They cannot say they do not know what was going on there. I’m sure you are aware that since they decapitated the bodies of those guys, there’s a lot of human sacrifice that is ongoing within those general areas and it was just a way of saying that they have strength and that’s why they disembowelled them. I don’t know what the intent was. But whatever the intent is, we remain focused, we remain committed.
“Our operation was highly regulated. Ideally, before now, it would have been a situation where we would have gone and flattened all the communities within that area, but it was measured because we felt not everybody was involved, but we know that a lot of people knew what was going on and kept quiet.
“A group of militants who make a lot of money from oil theft in the Niger Delta believe they are above board, and they conducted this dastardly act because the commanding officer and his team were bent on eradicating crude oil theft within the region.”
Musa also commended the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom, Clement Ikolo Ogenerukeywe, who was declared wanted over the soldiers’ killings, for turning himself in.
The CDS said the monarch is safe and nothing bad is going to happen to him while he is undergoing interrogation.
He said, “The Chief is secure, he is safe, nothing is going to happen to him, it’s just a few questionings and then we will be able to clarify.
“But you know, I don’t want to comment so much, but nobody will tell you he doesn’t know what’s happening. Maybe he did not take part directly, but he will not tell us he does not have the knowledge or the understanding of what’s going on.
“But like we said, the investigations will unravel most of these things, and then actions will be taken.”
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