ABUJA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian Senate launched an investigation on Tuesday into the recent killing of troops on a peacekeeping mission in a local community in the Delta region, allegedly by unidentified gunmen.
At least 16 members of the Nigerian armed forces, including a commanding officer, two majors, a captain and 12 soldiers, were slain in the attack on Thursday in the Okuama community in the Ughelli South local government area of the oil-rich Delta State, according to the Senate during plenary on Tuesday.
The Senate mandated its Committee on Defense to "thoroughly investigate the tragedy." The upper chamber of the Nigerian bicameral legislature called on the federal government and security agencies to speed up the identification and apprehension of "those responsible for the heinous crime," urging that they "be brought to face the full consequences of their action through a fair and transparent legal process."
Abdulaziz Yar'adua, chairman of the Nigerian Senate committee on the army, said that the killing highlighted a serious threat to national security and the stability of the nation. He also noted that the tragic incident underscored the urgent need for justice and accountability without resorting to retribution.
In an earlier statement, President Bola Tinubu ordered a manhunt for the yet-to-be-identified killers while condemning the gruesome killing.
Tinubu said the defense headquarters and defense chief had been "granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people." ■
