VANGUARD
Displaced residents of Okuama-Ewu in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, have urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to establish an Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, Camp for them, saying they were dying and in pain in the forests.
Recall that the residents had taken refuge in the forest in the past 39 days to escape the onslaught of the military in the aftermath of the killing of 17 military personnel in the community on March 14.
They also pleaded with the governor, who visited the riverside settlement last Saturday, to ask the Army to withdraw from their homeland to enable them to return home.
While inspecting the ruins left of Okuama-Ewu last weekend, after over 30 days of the military invasion, the governor had said: “I want to assure the people of Okuama that there is no point in running away from your community. We are going to bring you back to your community. It is only those who are involved that the military is looking for.”
In his Facebook post the later same day, Governor Oborevwori added: “The stage now is the rehabilitation and return of innocent citizens who fled the community in the wake of the horrendous incident.”
Provide IDP camp and relief materials
Reacting to the governor’s visit, a leader of the community, who spoke to Vanguard yesterday on grounds of anonymity, said: “He (governor) said that now is the stage of rebuilding Okuama-Ewu. Therefore, we want to plead that he should do something and act quickly, so the military can move out of there, and let the people come back home.
“At the same time, he should also think of the welfare of the suffering refugees and create an Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, Camp, so that relief materials can be sent because if they leave the forest, they have nothing to fall back on.
“Our people are dying and suffering in the forest because of lack of food and complications from bullet wounds.
“Okuama-Ewu people have no home and food, as the soldiers not only destroyed their homes, they also destroyed their foodstuff. The governor should do enough so that our people can come back home.
“We thank God that the governor finally visited; he saw the community and walked on the wrecks of our homes the Army destroyed.
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