The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, has ordered a full investigation into the deaths of two leaders from the Okuama community, Pa James Oghoroko and Dennis Okugbaye, who reportedly died while in military custody.
Oghoroko, who was the President-General of the Okuama community, and 81-year-old Okugbaye, the community’s treasurer, were detained alongside four others during a military operation conducted between August 18 and 20, 2024.
The arrests were linked to the killing of 17 soldiers in March during a peace mission to resolve a conflict between Okuama and the neighboring Okoloba community.
According to reports, the two leaders died six days apart in detention, sparking concerns over the circumstances of their deaths.
Speaking on the matter, the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, confirmed that the CDS had tasked the Nigerian Army’s 6th Division with investigating the allegations and providing a report by Monday.
Gusau stated, “Regarding allegations of deaths in detention, over the weekend, headlines surfaced suggesting that individuals detained in connection with the Okuama incident had died. Immediately, the CDS directed an investigation to be conducted by the 6th Division. Any moment from now, we expect the findings on whether the claims are true or not.”
He further added, “For now, these remain allegations. We are committed to uncovering the truth, and by tomorrow, we will have more details.”
The military operation that led to the detention of Oghoroko, Okugbaye, and four other community members was part of efforts to address the aftermath of the March 14 incident. In that attack, 17 soldiers were reportedly killed while on a peace mission between Okuama and Okoloba.
The other detained individuals include Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs. Mabel Owhemu, and Mr. Dennis Malaka. Their current conditions were not addressed in the Defence Headquarters’ statement.
The deaths of Oghoroko and Okugbaye have drawn criticism from community members and human rights advocates, who are demanding accountability and transparency in the investigation.
