By Henry  Umoru

A Niger Delta  group, Centre for Peare and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ  has called on the Federal government to carry out what it described as a genuinely independent  investigation into the killing of 17 military officers at Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State without political interference at any level of government in order to avoid reoccurrence.

In a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, the  National  Coordinator  of CEPEJ,  Comrade Mulade Sheriff urged the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government to ensure that it  unravels the remote and immediate cause of the killings, saying that nation’s gallant officers  killed in that  heinous, barbaric, and wicked manner cannot be swept under the carpet.

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According to the group, President Tinubu should  back his words with action to assure Nigerians and encourage the nation’s  security personnel that are saddled with the primary responsibility of safeguarding the country,  especially in protecting lives and property  irrespective of politics, ethnic and religious affiliation.

Sheriff said, “It is imperative to state that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government must unravel and back his words with action to assure Nigerians and encourage our security personnel that are saddled with the primary responsibility of safeguarding our dear nation, especially in protecting lives and properties irrespective of politics, ethnic and religious affiliation.

“We cannot allow our gallant officers to be killed in this heinous, barbaric, and wicked manner,” he cautioned”.