In a disturbing update, the Defence Headquarters on Friday, 22 March disclosed that troops have recovered the decomposing hearts (the exact number is unknown) of soldiers murdered in the Okuama community of Delta State on Thursday, 14 March.
Significant arrests are yet to be made as the military continues its aggressive search for the killers.
An ex-Niger Delta militant leader, ‘General’ Endurance Amagbein, who was accused in some quarters as the brains behind the killings, yesterday vehemently denied the allegation.
He said he knew nothing whatsoever about the incident.
The director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, told reporters in Abuja that troops were currently conducting clearance operations and cordon and search to recover, among other things, the weapons of the deceased soldiers.
He said their efforts have yielded the recovery of the “decomposing hearts of some of the murdered soldiers.”
In other reports, it has been touted that perpetrators also harvested other body parts of the slain military personnel.
Buba also indicated that troops have already conducted operations in more areas as Akugbene, Ukuama and Okoloba in Ugheli and Ugheli South of Delta State as well as Ukuama Amusamo, Akwagbe, Arhavwarien, Pirigbene and Igbomatoro communities also in Delta State.
He said although no significant arrest had been made, the DHQ was not unaware of a viral video of a person “admitting to have perpetrated the killing of the soldiers in Delta State.”
He said one of the advantages of the video is that it “helps to narrow investigations to persons of interest and their cohorts.”
He said: “Accordingly, the state governments and host communities of these personalities are required to assist the investigation in flushing them out.
“There can be no hiding place for perpetrators of such dastardly acts against our nation. This is a clarion call to duty by members of those communities and the state governments.”
Besides the development in Okuama, Buba said troops across other theaters of operation during the week neutralised 106 alleged terrorists and arrested 103 other suspected criminals.
He said troops also arrested 22 oil thieves and rescued 96 kidnap victims.
Buba said troops recovered 171 assorted weapons comprising 47 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 18 pump action rifles, 17 locally fabricated guns, 14 Dane guns, 12 locally fabricated pistols, one fabricated revolver, one hand grenade, 81mm mortar bomb, one mortar tube and four bandoliers
He said troops also recovered 2,452 assorted ammunition, comprising 995 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 468 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 317 live cartridges, 125 rounds of 9mm ammo, 313 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 13 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm, 19 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm, 167 empty shells of 7.62mm special ammo, 45 empty shells of 7.62mm NATO, 72 empty cases of cartridges, 14 magazines.
Other items recovered, according to defence spokesperson, are 10 vehicles, 23 motorcycles, 19 mobile phones, one bicycle, four baofeng radios, and the sum of N112,920.00 amongst other items.
