Okuoma killings: My son was planning to marry before death came – Mother of Corporal Peter

Mrs Hanatu Hamman, mother of Late Lance Corporal Peter Hamman, one of the 17 slain soldiers in Okuoma, has recounted how her late son was planning to get married before his death.

Recall the burial of the 17 military personnel comprising one Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, one Captain and 13 soldiers, took place on Wednesday at the National Cemetery in Abuja.

Mrs Hamman said his son, before his death, gives her money to feed and take care of her health.

“My son was planning to get married before his death.

“This my son, anything I say he’ll hear me. As he joined Army, he is the one that gives me money to feed and even take care of my health when I’m down.

“When anything happens to me and I call him at once and he will send me money to solve my problem.

“Now that he is no more I still give God the glory. I’m in God’s hand now, I don’t have anyone to run to for help.

“Those soldiers left, may God help and protect them as they do their job.”

Meanwhile, Ahmed Abutu, the senior brother of one of the killed soldiers Lance Corporal Abdul Ibrahim, who was at the burial on Wednesday said that despite the promises made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to assuage the pain of the family, “there is nothing that will compensate the life of a man who died fighting for this country.”

Abutu who hails from Kogi State said, “Our happiness is that he died fighting for this country. That is our happiness. So if government feels that the things Mr President said they will do for the family, we appreciate them being the leadership.

“But the perpetrators must not be allowed to go free. A criminal is not supposed to live in the society. So any where they are, they should fish them out. A life that nobody can give, a life that cannot be given, why must you take it? What are you taking it for?

“Our security agencies should go out day and night to bring these people to book. Then we will be grateful.

“It is a sad event, we have lost a brother that is the bread winner of the family. He is a man of peace. He is a Muslim to the core. He is a man that if you don’t say go, he won’t go.

“He respects everybody in the family. He is caring. We received the news with great shock because it’s unexpected. He is not somebody that is troublesome.

“He is not somebody you will find where he is not supposed to be found so when the news came. It was so sad. It’s a great loss to the family.

“There is nothing that will compensate the life of a man. He died fighting for this country. So that is our happiness. So if government feels that this is what they can do according to Mr President,that this is what they can do the family, we appreciate them being the leadership.

“For the perpetrators, a criminal is not supposed to live in the society, so any where they are, they should fish them out, a life cannot be given, why must you take it? What are you taking it for? Our security agencies should go out day and night to these people to book. We’ll be grateful.”