A driver, who alongside some other soldiers, allegedly escaped from being killed by the militants responsible for the massacre of 17 military personnel in Okuama was said to have made it known that they could not return fire because of the powerful incantations by the killers’ priestess and priest.
Commander of the Joint Task Force in Bomadi, Major Saffa was the first to go to Okuama, with his men, on March 14, to rescue a former supervisory councilor’s brother, Anthony Aboh, who was reportedly Kidnapped by the Okuama youths on March, 13.
It was further stated that Saffa who went to Okuama on a peace mission with his junior colleagues were held hostage, albeit, as a result of his insistence that he must take the chairperson of the community and others with him.
Upon hearing about the development, the Commanding Officer of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H. Ali, and his men also went on the same peace mission and for the rescue of Saffa, as well as others. But they were also killed when they got there.
A driver who managed to escape with some soldiers, recalling that “when the armed youths came out of their hideout after the peace talks in the community hall, as the soldiers were forcing the community chairman to the waterfront to board their boats, they signaled the community chairman to stoop and lie low on the ground.” He pointed out that the Commander and his men did not notice the militants’ signal which was after the incantations by their juju priestess and priest.
The said driver reportedly continued to say that it was after the chairman laid down that the shooting started. He proceeded to reveal that “the soldiers could not return fire because of the powerful incantations.”
