BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR
DELTA State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has visited Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Council of the state with an assurance to the people fled the community in the wake of the crisis of their safety upon return.
Recall that 17 military personnel, including up Lt.-Col (the Commanding Officer), two Majors, a Captain and 13 others, were ambushed and murdered in the community on March 14.
They were said to be responding to an emergency in the crisis between Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Council in an aged-long land dispute
The killings led to military invasion of the community and environs by soldiers in search of the culprits, making the resident to evacuate for fear of being killed or arrested.
The governor was not allowed access into the sleepy community a few days after the incident by the military on the premise that it was carrying out a search operation in the area. Neither was the Police granted entry.
Oborevwori on Saturday, April 20, finally gained access and undertook a tour of the reverine, devastated and deserted Okuama community to ascertain the true situation of things following the incident.
Oborevwori and his delegation took off from the jetty of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) in Warri, escorted by operatives of the military Joint Task Force (JTF).
The governor, accompanied by Commander, 63 Brigade in Asaba, Brig-Gen. Unachukwu Ugochukwu, and top government officials, on the over one hour journey, reiterated that innocent citizens would not be made to suffer for what they know nothing about.
Speaking to journalists at Okuama, Oborevwori said: “We have followed due process in the whole incident. The people have been buried and the King that was detained has been released yesterday (Friday) and today (Saturday), I am here to see what happened in Okuama community.
“The ‘Okuama 17’ is something that we didn’t expect to happen, because it is against our bargain for peace and security, which I promised Deltans that we are going to enhance.
“We have been enjoying peace and security since last year until the 14th of March when the four Army officers and 13 soldiers were murdered.
“They were not just murdered; their bodies were mutilated, and we have come here to see what happened.
“Let me again reiterate Mr. President’s promise that no innocent person would be victimised, and you can see that from that time till now, there has been no harassment of citizens of this community.”
He added: “I have come to see how the innocent people of this community can be reintegrated back with the cooperation of the military.
“We know it’s a big loss to them, but we have to follow due process. The Brigade Commander is with us and the newly posted Commander of 181 Battalion, Lt-Col Dabo, is also here with us, and its a great synergy.”
The governor said his administration was doing a lot to effectively resolve the dispute, adding that Okuama indigenes would soon return home.
“Let me once again thank Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief, Bola Tinubu; the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Staff for their cooperation so far.
“They have been very supportive and they have kept to their promise that innocent people will not be victimised.
“I want to assure the people of Okuama there is no point running away from your community. We are going to bring you back to your community. It’s only those that are involved that the military are looking for.”
The traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom, Clement Ikolo, who was released on Friday, April 19, after almost one month of incarceration by the Nigeria Army.
Ikolo, one of the eight persons declared wanted by the Army in connection with the soldiers’ killing, had surrendered himself to the Delta State Police Command, which handed him over the the military authorities in Asaba, the state capital for onward flight to military headquarters Abuja.
The soldiers have since been buried at the military cemetery in Abuja, but efforts to unravel the cause of the killings continue, with a Military Board of Inquiry constituted by the Defence Headquarters to investigate the incident sitting in Warri, Delta State, and Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
