The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has spoken on why he deleted video clips which he earlier uploaded on social media showing a burning village purportedly from reprisal by Nigerian soldiers against Okuama Community in Delta State.
The Nigerian military was accused of carrying out the reported reprisal in response to the killing of 17 soldiers in the community earlier on Thursday.
The military has since denied the allegation and suggested that the retaliatory attack on the Okuama Community could have been carried out by the rival Okoloba Community.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how suspected residents of the Okuama Community on Thursday ambushed and murdered the Commanding Officer of 181 Army Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain and 12 soldiers.
The slain soldiers were attacked while responding to a distress call during a clash between Okuama and Okoloba Communities in the South-southern state.
The military, on Saturday, said a total of 16 soldiers were killed but on Monday, it posted the names and photos of 17 soldiers including the commander (a lieutenant colonel), two majors, one captain and 13 soldiers.
Deleting the clips
Mr Sowore, in a post on his X handle on Monday, said he deleted the video clips after new evidence showed that a particular clip was from an old and different incident in Nembe, Bayelsa State.
“I apologise for the wrong video,” he said.
He, however, insisted that the Nigerian army should desist from further reprisal against innocent civilians in Okuama and any other settlement in the Niger Delta region.
Investigation
Mr Sowore also called for an investigation into the murder of the military personnel in the community.
“I call for an impartial investigation to unravel the real culprits involved in killing Nigerian soldiers in Okuama,” he stated.
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