VANGUARD
UGHELLI — A leader of the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, (names withheld), has opened up on what led to the killing of 17 soldiers, and a yet-to-be-ascertained number of natives in the community on March 14.
He explained that a leader from Okoloba in Bomadi Local Government Area, embroiled in a land dispute with Okuama, was the person who led soldiers to the community to fight a personal agenda on the fateful day.
The Okuama leader, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard, yesterday, also cleared the air on the Bayelsa–based militant leader, Amagbein, whose Defence Headquarters, DHQ, Abuja, published his photo on its wanted list, saying he was not from Okuama, and not in any way connected to the community.
His explanation
“That very day when the Army came, people had gone to the farm, including the community Chairman. They called him from the farm, notifying him that visitors wanted to meet the leadership. They welcomed them at the town hall; the community inquired what their mission was.
“They told our people they came in respect of a kidnapping complaint by an Ijaw leader and Okoloba people, and that they want to search the community. So they allowed it because we knew there was nothing like that.
“After searching, they came back to the town hall; they found nothing, but insisted that they want to go with the community Chairman, Secretary, and other leaders. The people refused, saying you said you came for peace talks and searched. Now, you want to go with our people.
“The people were wary of their agenda, and this brought argument, and the army opened fire and started shooting, people started running, and our people were not prepared for it, talk of fighting soldiers. In that process, they killed several people, we have some photographs, as the issue was raging and the army, after shooting, headed towards the waterside.
“Other speedboats, about three were seen coming towards the community, one of our youth captured one of the boats, and they came for full attack, and opened fire on both the soldiers and some Okuama people around the jetty. That is what led to the killing of the soldiers and our people.
“Our people they shot also fell into the water, up till now, we have not been able to record exactly how many are dead.
“The following day, the military reinforced again to Okuama; that Okuama killed Nigeria Army personnel, and that is what led them to burning of the community.
Gang-up against Okuama
“We now see that this whole thing is a gang up against Okuama, it is a coup against us just to destroy the community, as I am talking to you, our people are completely in disarray, they are in the bush dying of hunger, starvation, and various sicknesses,
“Over 15 people have died, they do not have any place to go, and the army had taken over the community. They burnt and demolished the community with caterpillars.
To underscore this point, when our governor wanted to go there, they denied him access, the same thing they did to the Commissioner of Police. Therefore, we are crying to the world, the state government, and the federal government that the Nigerian Army is oppressing Okuama, they should come to our aid.
“If the army is not doing something terrible, they are supposed to show photographs, and video of the current state of the community for the world to see, so you can guess what is happening now.
“It is only Okuama people that are suffering now, Okoloba people are living well in their community, they are going to their farms, and the government is not doing anything about it.
“We feel this whole thing is a gang up between the Army and the Ijaw people against us. Only the federal government can call the Ijaw leader to order, he boasted of causing a problem we cannot solve, and today, what he boasted about has happened.
Rift with the Okoloba leader
“Some time ago, we had an issue of boundary adjustment with Okoloba, there have been boundary issues between us for a long time, we then planted seven mango trees to demarcate the boundary.
“The Ijaw leader came and removed all the mango trees, saying that he wants to establish a school there. He then extended into Okuama land, Okuama people told him that if he had such a vision to establish a school that would be beneficial to us all, he should be able to consult with the community first.
“He refused, saying that wherever he ended the clearing shall be the boundary of Okuama. Okuama people refused and the matter went before the Divisional Police Officers, DPOs of Otu-Jeremi and Bomadi, and the Pere of Akugbene and some chiefs for adjudication.
“They visited the place and saw that he had encroached into our land, but they pleaded with us to take the boundary from there, being that the project will benefit all of us. Therefore, in their wisdom, they brought a caterpillar and graded the demarcation straight to the river.
“After that, the Okoloba leader still refused to let peace be, he went to the creek called Urhie-Ewu, owned by us, the Okuama Primary School is named Aderha Primary School because of the intersection of the creek and the River Niger inside the creek. Okuama has a small community called Edakure. We have a polling unit there to date.
“He kept disturbing us in the creek and the Pere of Akugbene called a meeting slated in Warri for both communities to discuss this recurring issue in January. A day before the date fixed for the meeting by the King, the Ijaw leader, and his boys, using boats, attacked four of our boys and killed them.
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