Members of the Military Board of Inquiry constituted by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to investigate the 17 soldiers killed in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta, have commenced sitting, TheNATION reports.

They convened yesterday at the Governor’s Office Annexe in Warri South Local Government Area of the state.

The meeting, which was scheduled for 2pm, however, started at about 3.45pm with six stakeholders from the Okoloba community, Bomadi Local Government Area, in attendance.

The Okuama community was, however, not represented.

The Director-General, Political and Security Services in Delta, Mr. David Tonwe, who ushered the Okoloba stakeholders into the meeting room, told reporters that they were not permitted to be part of the meeting.

Seventeen soldiers – made up of a Commanding Officer, two Majors, a Captain and 13 others, were ambushed and murdered on March 14.

They were responding to the crisis between Okoloba and Okuama communities, who had allegedly engaged in an aged-long land dispute.