Jonathan Nwokpor
With the army’s withdrawal from the Okoloba and Okuama communities in Delta State, a new communal conflict is erupting.
17 Nigerian Army personnel lost their lives as a result of the communal unrest between the Okoloba and Okuama communities, according to the ZINGTIE.
On Saturday, the women of Delta State’s Okoloba community in the Bomadi Local Government Area demonstrated against the return of armed youths to the area.
Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, the Okoloba community’s chairlady, and Mrs Mary Koibi, the community’s secretary, led the group of ladies in black. The women peacefully protested along the community’s seaside edge, screaming against violence and bloodshed and pleading with the federal government to assist them.
“We say no to violence,” “Enough of the killings on our land,” “We say no to the return of armed youths of Okuama in a commando style,” “Resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA,” and “We mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers,” among other statements were written on the placards they carried.
Mrs Goodwin stated that the armed youths might kill at the least provocation in a protest letter that was copied to the Police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF, and the Acting Chairman of Bomadi LGA.
The message said, “Less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured.
“The person who was killed and those who sustained machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.
“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.
“So, resettling the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi local government area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbath.
“Just last week, youths of Okuama community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage.
“They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to Okuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli south local government area, where they truly and rightly belong.
“Resettling them among their own people in Ewu clan of Urhobo land will foster mutual trust among themselves as they are of the same ancestry and speak the same dialect
”First, we the women of Okoloba community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son.
“We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.”
Recall that not more than twenty-four hours after the army left the town, another crisis in Okuama resulted in one death and three critical injuries.
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