By Abiola Olawale
Members of the Traditional Council of Chiefs, Ewu-Urhobo in Delta State, have jointly demanded the immediate release of the detained His Royal Highness (HRM), the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Clement Ikolo, Urhukpe 1.
This is as the chiefs reiterated the monarch’s innocence, saying he was not connected to the communal crisis that led to the recent killing of 17 military personnel in the Okuama community in the Ughelli Local Government Area of the state.
The New Diplomat reports that the Defence Headquarters had placed the monarch and seven others on a wanted list over their alleged connection with the murder of 17 military personnel at the Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
It would be recalled that some officers and soldiers of the 181 Amphibious Battalion were murdered on March 14, 2024, by suspected militant gangs during a peacekeeping mission to the Okuama community.
After the military declared him wanted, the monarch denied any involvement in the murder of the military personnel.
He said issues of murder are against his faith as a Christian and against his personal belief as a human being and a leader of his community. Shortly after, he surrendered himself to the Delta State Police Command and has since been whisked away by the military to Abuja for further investigation.
However, the royal council, in a press statement expressed shock about the arrest while stating that the monarch had been working to resolve the crisis that led to the tragedy since his ascension.
The statement reads: “His Majesty is in no way associated with the ongoing feud between Okoloba and Okuama communities, let alone the tragic killing of military personnel.
“Our monarch, His Royal Majesty Ovie Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, the Urhukpe 1, is a peace-loving man who has diligently sought to reconcile the factions within our kingdom since his ascension to the throne four months ago.
“He has not set foot in the Okuama community, nor has he visited Ewu, the headquarters of our kingdom, to engage in his royal duties,” the statement added.
