On Monday, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana condemned the rataliation of the Nigerian Army over the killing of 16 soldiers by suspected youths of Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State.
Falana, a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, however expressed sympathy for the bereaved families of the slain soldiers.
The Senior Lawyer criticized the military for allegedly burning the village in what appears to be a reprisal.
Recall that the slain military personnel had responded to a distress call arising from a communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta State.
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Tragically, they were killed on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
The beheaded corpses of these soldiers were later recovered from neighboring rivers, while others had their stomachs and hearts ripped out.
According to Falana, the reprisal could have been avoided if the military commands and the Federal Government had cautioned soldiers against retaliation and assured them of swift justice.
He said:
“There are innocent people in Okuama who are as angry as the government in ensuring that the criminal elements are brought to justice but when you go and set their houses on fire and attack innocent people, you have offended domestic laws because it is right in our country that there is no vicarious liability in criminality.
“Nigeria domesticated the Geneva Convention in 1960 and under Article 33 of the the Geneva Convention, collective punishment is prohibited. Innocent people cannot be attacked, even in a war situation.
On the night of the 16th (of January), angry soldiers stormed Okuama village and set it on fire. For me, it is unavoidable.
“You can’t blame soldiers alone because there is a general notion in the society because of loss in the judicial system, everybody embrace mob justice.
“Even the statement of the President yesterday (Sunday). We are in a democratic system of government.
“The President cannot order military authorities to fish out civilians involved ina heinous crime. That is the duty of the police.”