Slain soldiers get national awards, families get scholarships, houses

The award was conferred at the burial ceremony held at the National Cemetery, Abuja, on Wednesday, March 27.

This was announced in a post by the special assistant to President Tinubu on social media, Dada Olusegun.

He wrote: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has posthumously awarded the 17 heroes of the Okuama massacre with National Honours

“The 4 ranking officers have been awarded with the Member of the Order of Niger (MON). The remaining 13 officers have been awarded the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).”

It was not immediately clear why the ranking officers got lower ranked national honours than their subordinates.

The president also announced the provision of housing facilities for the surviving family members and scholarships for all their children to the university level.

He also directed the payment of death benefits to the family members within 90 days.

Tinubu posthumously conferred the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger on the Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).

He also conferred the honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger on SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290); LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).