The remains of 17 military personnel, comprising four officers, 13 soldiers, gruesomely murdered by some irate youths in Okuama community in Delta State during a peace mission on March 14, 2024, have arrived at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, for burial on Wednesday.

The bodies, which arrived at about 2:30 p.m., were conveyed by the FCT Ambulance Emergency Services and other vehicles.

In attendance are the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla. The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas are also present.

Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and Abba Yusuf (Kano) are already seated at the burial site.

President Bola Tinubu joined the solemn assembly at exactly 04:10pm.

Family members and relatives of the deceased personnel, as well as those of other military officers, were also on ground to honour the fallen heroes.

However, as of the time of this report, the burial ceremony for the 17 military personnel was already underway.