Okuama: President Tinubu Compensates Slain Soldiers With Posthumous National Honours

“On behalf of a grateful nation, we honour the sacrifice of Ali and the other gallant patriots who died that day” – Tinubu

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has confered national honours to the 17 Officers and Soldiers killed in Okuama community of Delta State.

Recall that the Officers and Soldiers of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were killed on March 14, 2024.

At their interment on Wednesday at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja, President Tinubu announced various categories of national honours for the deceased.

For the Officers: Lieutenant Colonel AH Ali, Major D.E Obi, Major S.D. Ashafa and Captain U Zakari, they were awarded Members of the Order of Niger.

Staff Sergeant Yahaya Sule got the Federal Republic Medal 1, while the rest were awarded Federal Republic Medal 11.

The others included Corporals Danbaba Yahaya and Kabir Bashir and Lance Corporals Abdullahi Ibrahim, Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi and Bello Anas.

The others were Privates Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Adamu Ibrahim, Hamman Peter and Ibrahim Adamu.

Tinubu said: “On the 14th day of March, Lieutenant Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, led three other officers and 13 soldiers to the Okuama Community to mediate in the lingering dispute with Okoloba Community.

“They went as peacemakers and peacekeepers respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities.

“They did not go with tanks, machine guns, and other weapons.

“They were on a mission of peace.

“Before the dastardly attack, Lieutenant Colonel Ali, as the Chief of Army Staff narrated to me, achieved great operational exploits; fighting terrorists and insurgents in the North East and North West before his deployment to the Niger Delta.

“Ali kept faith with his military calling until the end.

“On behalf of a grateful nation, we honour the sacrifice of Ali and the other gallant patriots who died that day.

“They will forever be remembered as heroes who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate price.”