A Nigerian soldier has asserted that it is mandatory for army personnel to seek vengeance for the deaths of their colleagues who were killed in Delta State.
SaharaReporters had reported that a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain and 12 soldiers of 181 Amphibious Battalion were killed by hoodlums in the state.
This incident generated negative reactions in Nigeria and internationally.
In a viral video seen by SaharaReporters, a soldier who claimed to be from the state, berated people criticising the army for the alleged reprisals in Niger Delta communities by military personnel.
He said what happened in Delta rarely happened in the northern part of the country and declared anybody who was not willing to support his uniform, no matter the relationship, would be seen as his first enemy.
The soldier added the reactions of some Nigerians so far on the issue showed a lack of empathy for the plights and ordeals the families of the slain army personnel were facing.
He said: “This message is for my Niger Delta brothers. When I read the comments about our soldiers wey dey die for Delta, nah cry I cry because me nah Delta boy, I know wetin I don face for the country. I don go Maiduguri fight, I know how many Maiduguri soldiers wey die for their state to protect their land (When I read comments about the soldiers who died in Delta State, I cried because I’m from Delta. I know what I’ve faced to protect this country. I have fought in Maiduguri and I know many soldiers from Maiduguri died to protect their land).
“I know how many Katsina people wey die for their state. But una get mind kill soldiers in Delta State and you just dey comment rubbish comments. You say whether soldiers wey dey die for north, say if dem dey put them for online. Have you been to Maiduguri before? Have you been to Katsina before? Nah Ogun go kill you for that kind talk. We no fit forgive anybody wey kill frontline soldiers, we must avenge the death (I know how many soldiers from Katsina State died to protect their state. You dared to kill soldiers in Delta State and people are making rubbish comments. People are asking if pictures of soldiers who are killed in northern Nigeria are put online. Have you been to Maiduguri? Have you been to Katsina? Ogun will kill you for making such comments. We won’t forgive anyone who killed soldiers on the frontline, we must avenge their deaths).
“If you no like this uniform, even if you be my mama, I declare you my number one enemy. Una dey forget say those that live inside glass house no dey throw stones, abi? As una don price, una must collect. All of una dey say these soldiers. Una forget say these soldiers get wives, get mama as them dey fight for the country. We do good things to the good people, and bad things to the bad people (If you don’t like this, even if you are my mother, I declare you as my number one enemy. You forget that people who are in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. You have made the move; you must get what is coming. You forget that these soldiers had wives and mothers while fighting for this country. We are good to good people and we treat bad people badly).”
