On Thursday, March 14, 2024, a tragic incident occurred in the Niger Delta region, specifically within the Okuama Community in Delta State, Nigeria. 16 Nigerian soldiers from the 181 Amphibious Battalion lost their lives while on a mission to quell clashes between two warring communities.
With Nigerians mourning the loss of soldiers, there are widespread calls for investigating the incident and addressing underlying issues of insecurity and injustice
BusinessDay‘s recent poll BusinessDay MarchTalkExchange poll, provides crucial insights into public sentiment, respondents were asked about their awareness and emotional reactions to the tragic killing of 16 Nigerian soldiers in Okuama.
The poll results reveal that the majority of respondents (78.6%) were not aware of the recent killing of Nigerian soldiers in Okuama, highlighting potential gaps in information dissemination and awareness campaigns regarding security issues in the country.
Among those who were aware of the incident, the emotional reactions varied. Shock (50%) and sadness (28.6%) were the predominant responses.
A smaller percentage expressed anger (14.3%), while a minority reported feeling indifferent (7.1%), reflecting the diverse emotional responses to acts of violence.
When asked about the justifiability of retaliatory actions such as burning down houses, most respondents (78.6%) expressed uncertainty, illustrating the complexity of ethical considerations in responding to acts of violence.
On the question of accountability for those responsible for the soldiers’ deaths and the subsequent reprisal, a significant majority (71.4%) agreed that perpetrators should be held accountable.
This strong stance highlights the demand for justice and the importance of ensuring accountability for acts of violence, irrespective of the context.
Respondents overwhelmingly supported a varied approach to address violence, with 64.3% endorsing collaboration between communities and local security forces to identify and report suspicious activities promptly.
Additionally, 28.6% advocated for educating citizens about the dangers of extremism and engaging youth in positive activities to prevent radicalization.
Foster dialogue between religious groups was also deemed essential by a minority of respondents (7.1%), emphasizing the importance of addressing root causes and promoting understanding and tolerance.
Regarding the government’s response to incidents of violence, respondents emphasized the importance of conducting transparent investigations (42.9%), enhancing intelligence gathering (42.9%), and engaging with affected communities (14.3%).
These measures are critical in ensuring justice and accountability while fostering trust and addressing grievances.
The respondents shared their views, which emphasized the urgency of addressing broader issues such as development and corruption, investigation transparency, the connection between security and poverty, equitable treatment for all citizens, prudent responses to violence, and the necessity of justice and compensation for victims.
“It seems that there is more to the violence in Okuama than meets the eye. It may be that it is more than just communal clash. It is way past time that the Federal & State govts do all that is necessary & more to bring much needed development to improvished oil producing communities in the Niger Delta & create a national economy where the people are sustainably employed & productive. Issues of corruption within govt & security agencies MUST be addressed. Corruption breeds injustice.”
“What we need to understand is, what exactly was incident in the communities that required a “peace mission”?
What was the brief given to the military group of the peace mission?
What did they know about the communities?
Who invited the team?
Was there a trigger for the team being ambushed?
Was the alleged incident a pretext to rain death on the team?”
“The communal clash have been in existence for years now with non state actions weilding powers they”
“There is a direct link between worsening security situation in Nigeria and the Multidimensional poverty we head globally. Economic upliftment of the citizens via health, education and overall well-being.”
“I have always asked; what is the value of Nigerian life? Until the government places huge value in its citizens the societal degradation will continue.”
“Accessible prosperity for all Nigerian people is the panacea. Lastly, should justice be dispensed differently to the poor and the rich?”
“The Nigerian Army should not be in a hurry to retaliate the Killing of its soldiers and Officers…They should continue investigation no matter how many years it takes, to bring the perpetrators to book”
“The Nigerian government should ensure all perpetrators are brought to justice while families of the gruesomely murdered soldiers be adequately compensated and taken care of.”
Take a look at previous poll results.
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