Tension is brewing in Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, as residents continued today (Monday, December 9) their protest, which began yesterday (Sunday December 8) against the continued detention of their leaders by the Nigerian army.
It would be recalled that a clash, which occurred in April this year, between some soldiers of the Nigerian Army allegedly on ‘peace-keeping’ operation in the area, and members of the Okuama community had led to the death of 17 soldiers.
The incident was to result in the invasion of the community by soldiers and the arrest of some leaders who were then clamped in detention in Bori Military Camp, Port Harcourt.
The protest is coming against the backdrop of the reported death of the President General of the community, Pa James Oghoroko, in the Port Harcourt military facility.
The residents who took to the street yesterday and continued the protest today, gave the Federal Government and Nigerian Army a seven-day ultimatum to release the detained leaders or they will resort to self-help.
The visibly angry protesters condemned the circumstances surrounding the death of their PG, and continued detention without trial of five other leaders of the community.
They vowed to block the river Niger at the expiration of the ultimatum to press home their grievance, saying that the late President General was arrested alongside Prof Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Dennis Okugbaye, Dennis Malaka, Madam Mabel and one other between August 18 and 20, 2024 and have remained in unknown detention since then.
Addressing newsmen, leader of the protester, Elder Ohwotake Otiero, in an emotion-laden voice in Urhobo language said: “I am very angry today, we have been thrown into mourning because of the news that Oghoroko is dead in military detention.
“We want to take it as a rumour, but if it is true, the government should know that they are in trouble. We will not accept to be treated as aliens in our own country.
“We want the corpse and those detained to be released immediately. We will take the laws into our hands because we have been pushed to the wall. Why should our PG be killed through torture?
“After the seven days, this river will be blocked, let the soldiers and Tinubu come and kill us so that we know that Okuama is wiped out entirely,” Ohwotake added.
A woman leader, Maria Adams said: “We are highly annoyed to hear that our PG is dead in military detention. What did he do? Someone who never did anything but was arrested and now he is dead.
“We are thrown into mourning; we want President Tinubu to tell us if we are still Nigerians. What is Okuama’s crime to warrant this treatment? We want our leaders to be released immediately; we have been pushed to the wall, we want action now,” she said.
On her part, Evuarherhe Joseph, another woman leader added: “The Federal Government and its Army have been treating us as if we are not Nigerians. Now that they have killed our PG, we want all the arrested Okuama people to be freed within seven days if not they will hear from us.
“Okuama was razed, but that’s not enough and now they are killing our leaders. We will not take this. We will block the river after seven days, let Tinubu come and kill us.”
A Community leader, Hon. Jacob Akemor in his comment expressed disappointment at the impunity of the Nigerian Army.
“Is the Nigerian Army above the law; how can you abduct people without taking them to court. Is that the Nigerian law? Now, our PG is dead, others as we hear are terribly sick.
“Within seven days, we want all of them to be released. We have suffered enough and the government should act to avert unrest. Is there a collusion (somewhere) that everyone is now against Okuama?
“Okuama has been destroyed, our leaders are now dying in military detention. We are mourning now and we want an end to this oppression,” he agonised.
Roseline Okumagba, another protester said: “This is a sad time in our community, our innocent PG has been killed. We want the others to be released immediately if not we take action by ourselves.
“No court has found Okuama guilty of any crime, yet the soldiers illegally held our leaders and killed our PG. The government should act immediately before the trouble starts again,” she said.
