Okuama Killings: Urhobo Communities Sends ‘SOS’ Message To Monarchs

Okuama Killings: Urhobo Communities Sends ‘SOS’ Message To Monarchs

Leaders and representatives of Ewu, Okparabe, Arhavwarien, and other Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Delta State find themselves under siege by soldiers conducting cordon-and-search operations. This response comes after the killing of 17 soldiers on March 14 at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area……READ ALSO Military To Take Action Against Collaborators In Okuama Soldier Killings – Defence Chief

Expressing their distress, the leaders and representatives of the affected communities have sent out an SOS message to the traditional rulers of Urhoboland, urging them to intervene and protect them from further harassment.

A delegation of leaders, including Chief Vincent Oduran, Chief Sam Oborumuyere, and Prince Solomon Diodemise, the Otota of Okparebe Kingdom, conveyed their concerns to the Urhobo Council of Traditional Rulers, headed by HRM Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom.

They highlighted the inability of residents in several communities to sleep peacefully due to safety concerns and pleaded with the monarchs to implore the government to allow the innocent and suffering people of Okuama to return to their homeland.

In response, the monarchs issued a statement titled “Urhobo Monarchs Appeal to the Federal Government to Allow Innocent, Suffering Okuama People to Return Home.”

The statement outlined the distressing situation faced by the people of Okuama and neighboring communities, including attacks, arson, and loss of lives. It also mentioned the surrender of the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom, HRM Clement Ikolo, to the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, and his subsequent handover to the Nigerian Army.

The traditional rulers, after listening to the representatives’ pleas, reiterated their call for an independent investigative inquiry into the immediate and remote causes of the Okuama-military incident. They emphasized the importance of uncovering the truth to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Furthermore, they assured the people of Ewu Kingdom to remain calm and law-abiding, pledging to ensure that no innocent person suffers unjustly.