The army on Thursday laid to rest the remains of the 17 officers and soldiers killed in Delta State on March 14.

They were laid to rest at the National Military Cemetery, Gudu, Abuja, at about 5:45 pm

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led governors and military chiefs in paying glowing tributes to the Lt. Colonel, two majors, one Captain and 13 soldiers.

They were on a peace mission in the Okuama community when those believed to be youths ambushed and murdered them.

It followed a long-standing dispute between the Okuama and Okoloba Communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi local government areas of Delta.

The officers are Lt. Col. A.H Ali, Maj. Safa, Maj. D.E Obi, and Captain U. Zakari.

The soldiers are Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu, Corporal Yahaya Danbaba, Corporal Kabir Bashir, Lance Corporals Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Haman Peter and Ibrahim Abdullahi.

The rest are Privates Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Ibrahim Adamu and Adamu Ibrahim.

President Tinubu described the diseased personnel as noblemen who gave their lives for the peace of the nation.

He said: “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.”

He also assured that the military would go after those who committed the dastardly act and bring them to justice.s

He aid: “I want to make it clear, once more, that those who committed this heinous crime will not go unpunished. We will find them and our departed heroes will get justice.

“The elders and chiefs of Okuama also have a duty to help the military in fishing out the gunmen who committed the barbaric crime against our men.”

The President commended the Armed Forces for their restraint in choosing not to carry out any reprisal attacks in Okuama or its neighbouring communities.

The grieving Chief of Army Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja said the manner in which the soldiers were killed and their bodies mutilated was most barbaric.

He said: “Ours is a profession that deals with matters of life and death. When soldiers die in the hands of the enemies of the state, we take it as dying for what the nation has considered a just cause; we celebrate them as gallant heroes.

“But when they are gruesomely murdered by the very people they are trained, equipped, and took an oath to protect, it is highly demoralising.

“It is no longer news that 17 of the Nigerian Army’s finest men, whom we have come to bury, were murdered in a reprehensible manner on 14 March 2024 in the Okuama community of Delta State while they went on a legitimate peace-making mission.

“It grieves my heart that it took our search and recovery effort over 72 hours to recover some vital organs of the decapitated and disembowelled bodies of my men that were scattered all over the Okuama community by the community youths and their friends.

“I consider it the most barbaric act any citizen or community can commit against the authority of the state, and I must place on record that a lot of restraints have been exercised so far in our search and recovery efforts for missing arms, ammunition, other equipment, and body parts.”

The COAS said the Okuama killing had imposed additional responsibility of care on the Army and the country for 10 windows (three of whom are four, five, and eight months pregnant), 21 orphans, and many other dependents, which include parents.

Commiserating with the families of the gallant soldiers, the army chief assured that the Nigerian Army would not leave them in the cold.

“We shall do all within our power to provide succour to them and preserve the memories of their departed loved ones,” he said.

Gen. Musa said the fallen heroes exemplified the highest bravery and service to the nation.

According to him, their sacrifices will not be in vain.

“We owe it to the fallen heroes to build a nation where everybody can strive to become what he/she wants to become.”

Top government functionaries present at the burial ceremony were Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Usman Ododo (Kogi), AbdulRaman AbdulRasaq (Kwara), Hope Ozodimma (Imo), Deputy Senate President Jibril Barau and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abass. Barau represented Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who is attending Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference in Switzerland.

Others were Minister of Defence Mohammad Badaru, Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle, Secretary to the Government Federation George Akume, the Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar and the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.