Eyewitnesses to the tragic events of March 14 in Okuama, Delta State, have recounted harrowing details of gunmen clad in military camouflage launching a deadly assault on both soldiers and villagers. According to accounts, the attackers arrived in four speedboats from the Bomadi axis, firing indiscriminately upon their arrival at the community’s riverside.

One witness described how the chaos unfolded: soldiers and villagers were targeted as the gunmen, initially unidentified due to their military attire, unleashed a barrage of gunfire. The witness, unable to identify the assailants, fled with her children and others into the bush for safety, leaving behind uncertainty and fear.

A speedboat driver involved in the operation shared a chilling account of the events leading up to the attack. He recounted encountering individuals from the community performing what seemed like incantations before the violence erupted. When bullets began raining down, he plunged into the river for safety, eventually being rescued by a fellow driver.

In a disturbing revelation, it was disclosed that soldiers from Agbarho were deceived and subsequently slaughtered upon their arrival at Okuama. Under the pretense of peace talks, the soldiers were disarmed by the community’s youth before being brutally attacked from all sides.

Further details emerged from a soldier involved in the subsequent response, including the discovery of hidden corpses under the community’s jetty. Most of the bodies showed signs of mutilation, indicating the extent of the violence that transpired. One individual confessed to being responsible for numerous killings and led authorities to uncover the grim evidence.

These accounts paint a grim picture of the events at Okuama, highlighting the brutality and deception that unfolded, leaving a community shattered and grieving in the wake of senseless violence.