Vice President-General of Okuama community, Mr. David Akata, has expressed displeasure with “the lackadaisical approach of Delta state government and security operatives to quell the crisis between the two communities initially.”
He told Punch Newspaper from his hideout: “We entered into a peace accord with the state government and security operative in the state, and we stand by that accord, but often times the Okoloba people harass and assault our people. Our pleas to the state government to expedite action and caution the Okoloba leaders fell on deaf ears. Rather, they aided the Okoloba community and used their mercenaries to attack and kill our people,” he stated.
Akata also called on President Bola Tinubu; Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; the National Assembly, Amnesty International and the United Nations to urgently intervene and reprimand the military personnel, whom he accused of carrying out acts of genocide, from annihilating the people.
He said, “Some armed men in military uniform invaded the community in the early hours of March 14, 2024, with a gunboat.
“The gunmen arrived in the community around 8am and started shooting at anyone in sight, thus leaving three killed while several victims injured are currently receiving treatment in a hospital in the state.
“Troops suspected to be men of the Nigerian Army on Friday, March 15, 2024, while chanting war songs, carried out what could be termed genocide on the innocent citizens of the community by setting their buildings ablaze.”
Another youth from Okuama, who did not want his name in print said, “Our people woke up on Wednesday to see our community surrounded by men in military uniform numbering over 60, and without provocation, they started shooting and caused the death of three promising youths of the community with several others sustaining gunshot injuries.
“The same military men repeated their genocide actions on innocent and law-abiding citizens of the Okuama community on Friday, March 15, 2024, bringing many buildings to rubble. As I speak, the number of persons who died in the barbaric attack cannot be ascertained as many aged men, women and youths fled into the nearby bushes and we suspect that some women and children might have drowned, because many ran into the river out of panic.”
A leader of the Okoloba, who begged to remain anonymous because of the tense situation, accused the Okuama people of being the aggressor and called on the federal and state governments as well as security agencies to beef up security in the communities to prevent an escalation of the crisis.
He also confirmed that many residents of Okolaba had fled the community for fear of reprisal from the military and the Okuama youths, adding that he was speaking from his hideout.
When contacted for a reaction, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, acknowledged the severity of the incident. However, he declined to comment, saying the Presidency would issue an official statement on the incident soon.
Similarly, the Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor, Mr. Festus Ahon, directed our correspondent to the Commissioner for Information, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza. However, the commissioner did not pick his calls and had yet to reply a message sent to his mobile telephone as of the time of filing this report.
Attempts to get the reaction of the member representing the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives, Nicholas Ebomo, were unsuccessful. Calls to his mobile telephone were unanswered while messages sent to him via WhatsApp were not acknowledged.
