The Mayor of Urhoboland who doubles as the President of the National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE-A, Eshanakpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro has called on the Nigeria Army to immediately release the traditional ruler of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, HRM Clement Ikolo unconditionally.
The Mayor made this call in Abuja, Tuesday stating that the tradional ruler has done nothing wrong to warrant the embarrassment being meted to him by the military who he said has kept the king in the gulag since he surrendered himself to the authority after being “unwarrantedly declared wanted” by the military authority at the wake of the killing of 17 military personnel in Okuama.
The Mayor maintained that, King Ikolo since ascending to the throne of his forebears has not been allowed to resume rulership of his people owing to what he described as avoidable disagreement in the kingdom.
He said the monarch has been on top of the situation to resolve the crisis in his domain until violence broke in Okuama a community he said rejected the monarchical rule of the HRM Ikolo.
HRM Ikolo, Akpodoro stated, is a peaceful man with high moral probity who is not given to violence in any form as he condemned the arrest and detention of the king by the military.
He noted that when Modake and Ife which are neighbouring communities in Osun state engaged in internecine war, Ogunsua or Ooni of Ife was not arrested or declared wanted by the authority, warning that defiant posture by the military to release the “innocent king” may be deemed as direct affront on Urhobo nation.
Well-meaning Nigerians, according to Akpodoro, condemned the killing of soldiers and the reprisal attacks by the military which claimed scores of lives and bombardment of settlements including Okuama along River forcados unjustifiably razing villages in a vengeful action.
“All I am saying is that the military authority should release our innocent king and stop its intimidating posture on our people. How can you say a Professor of Physics was among the killers of soldiers? How possible?
“How do you finger the king of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom in the killing that took place at a settlement that’s almost 20 kilometres away? That list containing the name of our king was maliciously concocted for reasons known to those behind it.
“HRM Ikolo is innocent, and must be released to go lead his people. The governor who is the Chief Security Officer of the state can vouch for the king ditto other notable personalities, opinion leaders and the entire Urhobo nation will attest to the innocence of King Ikolo,” His Akpodoro stated.
In same vein, the Mayor called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State to intervene for the innocent ones not to suffer unjustly.
He said: “The governor knows that HRM Ikolo is innocent of what he is being accused of. He’s not a gun runner, not given to violence, not involved in the internal affairs of Okuama clan, so, the army would have to tell the world the level of the traditional ruler’s involvement in the armed confrontation that claimed several lives from both sides.
“I call on the governor to weigh in at this juncture. I commend the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU leadership for speaking up for our traditional ruler. This is when our umbrella body is most needed,” Mayor Akpodoro stated.
