Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State has been allegedly raised down men in military uniform leading to the death of three of young men, with many were reportedly inflected with life threatening injuries and with severe women and children displaced and unaccounted for.
TheNGblog gathered that tension has been building up since 27th of January 2024 when some youths from the neighboring Okoloba in the Bomadi local government area allegedly ambushed and killed three Okuamu youths returning from Okwagbe over age-long land dispute and hiding their corps.
It was further gathered that following the death of Masers Igho Meshack, Godspower Awusa, and Okiemute Agbabuleke in cold blood and with their bodies dismembered on Jan 27th, and the failure of security agencies and Delta State to step in and arrest the situation by de-escalating brewing tension, some men in military uniform suspected to have come from Okoloba community launched attack on Okuoma.
Speaking to journalists from his hideout, the Vice Present General of the Okuama community, Mr. David Akata disclosed how some men in military uniform, well-armed invaded his community in the early hours of March 14, 2024, with a gunboat. According to him, the unknown gunmen arrived in the community at about 8.00 am and started shooting sporadically at anyone in sight leaving three killed and several injured and are currently receiving medication in an undisclosed hospital in the state.
Speaking further, Akata hinted that the a troop suspected to be men of Nigerian army on Friday, March 15, 2024, carried what he termed a genocide on the innocent citizenry of the community by setting their buildings and properties ablaze while chanting war songs.
His words, “Our people woke up on Wednesday to see our community surrounded by men in military uniform numbering over 60 personnel and without provocation they started shooting at sight leading to the death of three promising youths of the community and several others sustaining injuries from gun bullets.
“The same military men repeated their genocide actions on the innocent and law-abiding citizens of the Okuama community on Friday, March 15, 2024, bringing many buildings to their rubles as they carried offensive arson on the community buildings.
“As I speak, the number of persons who died in the barbaric attack could not be ascertained as many of the aged men, women, and youths fled into the nearby bushes and, and we suspect that some women and children might have drown in the rivers, because many ran into the river out of panic.
While expressing his displeasure with the Delta State government and security operatives in the state, Mr Akata noted with dissatisfaction the lackadaisical approach of the state government and security operatives to quell the crisis between the two communities.
“We entered a peace accord with the state government and security operative in the state, we stand by the accord but often time the Okoloba people harassed our people by assaulting them, and our pleas on the state government to expedite action and called the Okoloba leaders to order fell on deaf ears, rather they aided the Okoloba community people to use their mercenaries (men in military uniform) attack and to kill our people”.
Mr Akata also called on President Bola Tinubu, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the National Assembly, Amnesty International and United National to urgently intervein and called to order the rampaging men in military who are commenting acts of geocide against Okuamu community from annihilating his people.
Meanwhile, another account has it that some armed men of Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, opened fire on a team of the military Joint Task Force, JTF, who were on a mission to rescue a hostage from Okoloba community, allegedly killing about two soilder, others missing.
According to a community source, armed men of Okuama, ambushed an indigene of Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area, Wednesday, over the lingering land dispute between the two communities.
The source, who narrated the incident, said: “Yes, about 4 pm yesterday, (Wednesday) Okuama youths laid ambush again and kidnap one, Mr Anthony Aboh from Okoloba community and took him to their community.
“Miffed by the precarious security situation, the chairman of Okoloba community alerted the DPO Bomadi Police Division, JTF Bomadi Division, the SSS Bomadi, as well as the Civil Defense Corps. Consequently, The JTF swiftly swung into action and moved to Okuama to rescue the hostage.
“But, on sighting the JTF personnel, the youths of Okuama allegedly opened fire on them upon their arrival towards the community waterfront with the situation degenerating to a gun duel leading to some soldiers sustaining severe bullet wounds.
Some of the soldiers managed to escape with the two wounded soldiers and who are currently in an undisclosed hospital in Bomadi.” As of the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach the commanding officer of 3 Battalion Effurun and Commanding Officer C O 181 Amphibious Battalion Agbor, Delta State for a comment proved abortive.
When Advocate.ng contacted the Police Public Relation Officer, (PPRO) Delta State Police Command, DSP. Bight Edafe, to confirm the crisis and the reported death, he told us that “the Delta State Police is not aware of the incident.”
