- Three Youths Killed, Property Destroyed
- Residents Flee Amid Shootings
- As Men In Military Uniform Storm Community
BY JOEL GRANDBALL
Barely three weeks after the arrest of six Okuama community leaders at different locations, armed men in military camouflage, yesterday, stormed the community in four gunboats, 11 speed boats, shooting sporadically, killing three youths and looting provision stores.
The invaders went away with a big granite boat, a sand dredger and power generating sets, PoS used by those who are gradually returning from their hideouts after the March 14 killings around the community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
An Okuama community source, who spoke from his hideout, recounted that the military personnel came in four gunboats, 11 speedboats and they were shooting sporadically.
According to the source, they came through Okoloba community by land after using drones to monitor the community on Sunday.
“The three youths killed by the soldiers in this fresh attack are: Ojeh Asah, Uwhubunor James, and Enavwodo Peter.
Speaking further, the source said, “This morning at about 3am, we got the information that about 15 gun boats are coming to our area and we all came out to observe, and we were awake from that time to about 6am.
“As the day breaks, we suddenly saw a drone probably taking video clips of the entire community. We were afraid and some women were running into the creek for safety, they later called to inform us that three gunboats were stationed in the river. “And the next thing we heard were gun shots by the military and we all have to run into the bush. Before we came out from the bush, the army packed away every items in the provisions stores in the community and destroyed our foodstuffs.
“They took our generators, PoS Machine and pumping machine. The dredger that is currently working in the community, they took it along. They also went away with the granite boat that came to the community.
“The people we saw were putting on military uniforms and red coloured camouflage. They came with about four-gun boat and 11 Speed boats and they destroyed houses. The garri we were processing at the premises of the Anglican Church were all destroyed”, he added. Recall that Okuama community was razed in March 2024 by soldiers of the Nigerian Army in a reprisal attack following the murder of 17 military personnel by unknown gunmen near the community.
Every building, including hospital, schools and other private buildings in the community were destroyed and reduced to rubbles.
Precisely between August 19 and 20, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mr. James Oghoroko, Dennis Okugbaye, Pa Anthony Awhemuria, Mrs. Rita Akpata and Mr. Denis Malaka a tenant to James Oghoroko were arrested by military personnel and have remained in unknown detentions.
