The joint senate committee on the army, navy, and air force met with service chiefs on Wednesday to discuss the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community, Bomadi LGA, Delta state.
The security chiefs who attended the meeting were Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Hassan Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff; and Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff.
Last week, 17 soldiers were killed in the southern state, including a lieutenant colonel, two majors, and a captain.
The soldiers were ambushed and killed while responding to a distress call following a communal clash between the Okuama and Okoloba communities.
President Bola Tinubu had vowed that those responsible for the soldiers’ deaths would not go unpunished.
Ahmed Lawan, chairman of the Defence Committee, presided over the meeting, which was held behind closed doors.
Lawan stated before the executive session that the national assembly will “always support our military in whatever way we can”.
Lawan said:
“We try to at all times make a meaningful appropriation for resources to be available.”
“We know it has never been enough and I will take this opportunity to commend our armed forces for doing so much with the little we can afford.
“The insecurity in our country takes precedence over any other consideration and, therefore, it is the position of the senate that no investment in any sector can be more important than ensuring that we are secured as a country.
“We, therefore, are very sad as a parliament over this tragic incident. It is our hope in the senate that those who perpetrated this barbaric and horrific act are captured and the law takes full course on them.
“I want to appeal to Nigerians that this is our armed forces and they cannot secure us without us as citizens playing our part.
“Therefore, every citizen is supposed to support our armed forces.
“Those in the area where this incident happened must volunteer information because this is the only way we can stop something like this from happening another time.”
The lawmakers then observed a minute of silence to honour the fallen soldiers.
