- Police React
BY JOEL GRANDBALL/UGHELLI
THE Okuama saga seems far from over as the President-General, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo has been arrested by suspected military personnel, months after being declared wanted.
The Pointer recalls that the Nigerian Army declared eight individuals wanted, including the traditional ruler of the Ewu-Urhobo community, HRM Clement Ikolo, and the President-General of Okuama, Proff. Ekpekpo, in connection with the murder of 17 soldiers in the community.
To prove his innocence, the Ewu-Urhobo monarch, HRM Ikolo, turned himself in almost immediately to the police, who in turn handed him over to the military for interrogations, a move that was widely acclaimed for its valour.
However, our correspondent has learned that months after being declared wanted, Professor Ekpekpo has been arrested by suspected military personnel at an undisclosed location in Sapele. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
It was also gathered that two indigenes of Okuama, one Chief Adogbo Belvis and one other were also arrested by armed men in mufti at various locations in Ughelli. Chief Adogbo Belvis was arrested at his home on Inene Community Road Sudday night, as he awoke to find suspected military personnel surrounding his residence.
The arrest, according to an Okuama leader, who spoke on anonymous condition, might not be unconnected to the March incident which led to the death of 17 military personnel in the community.
The arrest comes at a time when peace is gradually returning to the troubled community, with the Delta State Government making plans to resettle displaced residents as soon as possible.
When asked to comment on the situation, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, said it was purely a military matter and that the police were unaware of the arrest, as was the case with the traditional ruler.
Recall that the Okuama community was razed in March by soldiers in a reprisal attack following the murder of 17 military personnel by unknown gunmen near the community.
A hospital, schools and other private buildings in the agrarian community were reduced to rubbles in the vendetta attack by the military men. The location of the arrested people is not known at the time of filing the report.
