Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has received baptism of fire over the catastrophe that has befallen Okuama, a tiny agrarian community nestled in Ughelli south local government are of Delta state. The community began making negative headlines last week Thursday following the killing of 17 soldiers who reportedly went to the community on peace talk.
Prince Dr. Kehinde Taiga, human rights activist and president of Committee for the Defense of Human Right (CDHR), told Emerald News on Tuesday that Governor Oborevwori disappointed the people of the state, especially members of Okuama community who sent not less than two save our soul messages to him over the invasion and killing of people of Okuama community.
Available reports, however, revealed that though the governor’s office allegedly received the correspondence from the community, the office reportedly failed to act swiftly on the correspondence received from the distressed community. It is believed that if he had acted swiftly, the matter would not have degenerated.
Following the killing of the soldiers who allegedly went to the community on peace talk, the governor speedily issued press statement condemning the murder and condoling with the families of the deceased soldiers. The message of the governor did not acknowledge the murder of people of the community by their opponents.
Taiga, in a reaction on Tuesday, said Governor Oborevwori failed to acknowledge the pains of his people at the earlier time. He said the governor’s apparent silence at the earlier time had led to the killing of the 17 soldiers, the devastation of the community and the loss of more lives of Okuama people.
Taiga noted thus: “The governor is a disgrace to the community. The governor was aware of the beginning of the crisis. He would have detailed police to that place and invite leaders of the embattled communities.
“Rather, the governor overlooked the issue until now that soldiers have been killed. Keeping deaf ears and blind eyes has led to massive destruction of soldiers and devastation of the community. The governor is the chief security officer of the state. He has to maintain peace and tranquility in the state. This is not negotiable.
“It’s a total disappointment on the part of the governor. Not that the governor was not aware. He would have invited leaders of the communities, not by arresting and detaining them. That will not bring needed peace. It is by dialogue. He should know what the parties needed. His job is to protect lives and property and that is the primary function of government.
“Even his aides on security, community development, and others they all failed in their duties to the state. They did not do their job. Now, the state is receiving negative reports across the country and the world. This is not a good image for the state.’
Prince Taiga, who condemned the killing of the 17 gallant soldiers in cold blood, said no matter the issues on ground, nothing warranted the killing of the soldiers. He noted that despite the killing of the soldiers which is condemnable in all ramifications, he insisted that it is most unprofessional in the way the military men are going about searching for the culprits.
He said in a democratic state as Nigeria claims to be, every action is determined by the constitution which spells out the manner of engagement for professionals.
As a human rights activist, he said police had been killed in certain communities across the country, but there was no military action against the community.
According to him, discreet investigation should be carried out by independent bodies not the military, adding that there is possibility of enemies in the entire saga.
He said: “It was not only Okuama that had the crisis. Blaming the killing of the soldiers on Okuama without concrete evidence appears bias from my own assessment. I’m not in support of ethnic crisis. The sin of few should not be used to rob others.
“For alleging that Okuama that does not have up to 200 people in it killed 17 soldiers, then, the military is a disappointment to Nigeria. One may ask how did they get ammunition to overpower such military personnel.
“Having said that we also need to say that some persons from the community were also killed but Nigerians are silent on that but showing sympathy only to the soldiers.
“The president has given full authority to the soldiers to investigate and bring all those involved to book. I still want to urge the president to give order to the military to bring our 287 students that were kidnapped by Boko Haram.
“We demand holistic investigation on the killing of the soldiers and the killing of Okuama people. Whoever is involved in the killing of both soldiers and Okuama people should be brought to justice.
“It was confirmed that the people of Okoloba community were with the army officers that went to Okuama for the peace talk. Why didn’t they go with the DPOs of Bomadi and Out-Jeremi? Who did they inform before going to the community? Who gave them the authority to carry out the peace talk? Did they go on their own or somebody initiated it?
“Again, the military personnel were not ambushed within the community but on their way back to Bomadi after the community people had entertained them and disallowed them from taking their leaders away.
“I don’t believe Okuama has such weapons to attack such senior military men. The military men went there without police going with them. The military does not have power to investigate communal issues, it is the police that can do that.
“The visit to Okuama is questionable and attack was done to smear the name of Okuama people. Ukuama community does have such sophisticated weapons to attack soldiers, to kill 17 soldiers at a stretch.”
