By Ken Afor
Mr. James Oghoroko, the President General of Okuama-Ewu Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State, has called on the state Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to intervene decisively following an alleged vicious assault on the community on January 27, 2024, allegedly orchestrated by some individuals from the neighboring Okoloba Community in Bomadi LGA.
In a five-page letter addressed to Governor Oborevwori by Mr. Oghoroko, he alleged that the assailants, led by Mr. Patrick Akpobenekeme, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), reportedly launched a coordinated attack on the unsuspecting residents of Okuama-Ewu.
According to the community leader, Akpobenekeme, emboldened by false claims to Okuama’s ancestral lands and assets, mobilized a group of militants to instigate terror and lay siege to the community.
He said that the attack resulted in the tragic deaths of Messrs. Igho Meshack, Power Awusa, and Okiemute Agbakulaka, along with numerous others sustaining grievous injuries.
He alleged that the community had been living in peace with the Okoloba community in Bomadi LGA but things turned upside down when Akpobenekeme was appointed as the DG of NIMASA by the former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He added that Akpobenekeme exploited his newfound influence and resources to challenge the ownership of Okuama’s heritage, sparking a series of confrontations and threats.
He stated: “Our people were going about their normal daily businesses on the 27 day of January, 2024 when PATRICK AKPOBENEKEME mobilized his militant group and gun-boats and surrounded our community chanting war songs and shooting sporadically into our community with the intent to kill our people. Everyone in Okuama-Ewu Community ran helter scatter and took to safety. While the attack was ongoing in our community by PATRICK ΑΚΡΟΒΕΝΕΚΕΜE and his criminal militia, some of our people who went for trading at the popular Okwagbe Market, were returning from the market, boarding Gbaregolor boat, at a point in the river, the boat was accosted by the Patrick Akpobenekeme militants who ordered the boat to dock, abducted the persons whom they identified as being indigenes of Okuama-Ewu Community, allowed the others to continue their journey and took those our people abducted from the boat, to a marine school at Okoloba Community, where they were thoroughly assaulted, mercilessly beaten and dehumanized, most of them being woman and sustaining different degrees of injuries were later taken in one of the gun-boats and driven back to Okwagbe were good Samaritans called for help. The abducted persons are (1) Naira Osereta (2) Helen Nana (3) Helen Godwin (4) Baby Ubiodekporo (5) Victor Aphiayerhe, (6) Baby Edafe and (7) Kingsley Gentle, these persons were all rushed to the Otu-Jeremi General Hospital for medical help after reporting at the Otu-Jeremi Divisional Police Headquarters.
“On same 27 day of January, 2024 some indigenes of our community who were returning home were accosted by PATRICK AKPOBENEKEME militant group on the river and unsuspectingly identified themselves to the militants in the gun-boat which patrol the river that day. They ordered them to berth at gun point, took them into Okoloba community bush, tied their hands and legs and heartlessly killed Messrs. Igho Meshack, Power Awusa and OKiemute Agbakulaka. One of them who was able to escape with bullet wounds into the thick bush is the eye witness. His name is Kennedy Israel, while he was in the bush, he saw PATRICK AKPOBENEKEME and his blood thirsty group burying the trio they killed. When he was escaping, they shot severally at him. It was when Kennedy Israel came out, he made these revelations.”
While calling on the state governor to act, Oghoroko also canvassed a thorough investigation into the alleged activities of Akpobenekeme and his accomplices in the interest of peace, security, and the preservation of communal harmony in the region.
He added: “Your Excellency, we hereby call on you as the chief security officer of this state and demand justice for the dead who were murdered, our injured and displaced people, we also demand a thorough investigation into this heinous crimes and demand that PATRICK AKPOBENEKEME and others who have perpetuated this great evil and criminality against harmless Okuoma-Ewu people be brought to justice and made to face the full wrath of the law. We are peace loving people and our love for humanity is steadfast hence this opportunity for the law to take its course. We must be mindful of the fact that nobody has the monopoly of violence and crime. We are assuring our people that justice will take its course and that no one should take laws into his hands.
“Consequently, we are hoping to see VERY SOON that the perpetuators of this evil and wickedness against our people are brought to book to forestall a re- occurrence of this ugly and sorrowful incident and to abate further attacks on the volatile riverine terrain. It must be made clear that our people will not die and suffer in vain. Only justice would put an end to this further attacks and only justice would put an end to retaliation. We therefore demand justice from Your Excellency.”
It would be recalled that on Thursday, March 14, 2024, 16 soldiers who were part of the Nigerian Army’s troops on a peace mission between the Okuama and Okoloba communities were reportedly murdered by some youths in Okuama.
According to the Nigerian Army, among the casualties were a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain, twelve soldiers, and one civilian.
