Okuama Crisis: Army arrests Ewu PG, four others
*As fresh crisis looms over the arrest
By Ogba O. Ogba, Ughelli
The crisis engulfed the ancient kingdom of Ewu-Urhobo in Ughelli south local government area of Delta State has snowballed to another dimension as men of the Nigerian Army arrested the President General of the Kingdom, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, who was earlier declared wanted by the Army over the gruesome murder of its 17 personnel in Okuama community.
Prof. Ekpekpo, an indigene of Okuama town in the Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, was reportedly arrested on Sunday night in Sapele by military uniform men who trailed him to Sapele.
It would recalled that the Nigerian military had vowed to arrest the professor and others declared wanted for their alleged roles in the unfortunate murder of the deceased 17 soldiers.
The Rainbow Newspaper reliably gathered four other persons, including Chief Belvis Adogbo and Chief Dennis Akugbaye, chiefs of the kingdom and indigenes of Okuama, who were equally picked on Monday morning by armed men in plain clothes at separate locations in Ughelli.
Rainbow Newspaper source confirmed the arrest of the professor and other leaders of Okuama.
The arrest of the suspects had created massive apprehension among Okuama indigenes who are currently being camped at the Internally Displaced Persons site in Ewu town in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
The military has not officially confirmed the arrest of the President General of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom and other leaders of Okuama.
Recall that unknown gunmen had in March reportedly attacked and murdered 17 military personnel, including the four officers, while on a “peace mission” over a land dispute between Okuama and Okoloba communities.
However, following the killing of the personnel, soldiers of the Nigerian military invaded and completely razed the Okuama community in a reprisal attack.
Buildings, including hospitals, schools, and other private buildings in the agrarian community, were destroyed and reduced to rubble.
Afterward, the Nigerian military authorities subsequently declared the Ovie (King) of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oghenerukevwe Clement Ikolo, Urhukpe 1; President General of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, Professor Ekpekpo, and others wanted.
Ewu-Urhobo monarch, who had since turned himself into the military, was detained for weeks but was later released by the Defence Headquarters.
Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the spokesman of the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, on the arrest of the professor and others proved abortive at the time of filing this report.
