Panic in Okuama following alleged extrajudicial killing of youth

Nearly two years after the tragic events that decimated the Okuama community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, fresh tension has gripped the region following the alleged summary execution of a wanted youth, Edward Kokori.

The incident, which reportedly occurred on December 27, 2025, has reignited the trauma of the March 2024 military invasion that followed the killing of sixteen soldiers, once again pitting community members against the military presence in the area.

Reports indicate that Kokori, who was among five youths declared wanted by the military in the wake of the 2024 killings, was intercepted as he attempted to enter Okuama for the first time since the initial crisis.

Eyewitnesses allege that Kokori was identified by members of the Okoloba youth, who are reportedly collaborating with the army to monitor the settlement.

While Kokori purportedly attempted to flee upon being spotted, he was cut down by gunfire from soldiers stationed in the community.

The killing has sparked outrage among local leaders, who describe the act as an extrajudicial execution.

A community leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, questioned the military's tactics, asserting that Kokori was an innocent victim of a broad and indiscriminate wanted list and had no involvement in the cold-blooded murder of military personnel two years ago.

The leader further alleged that the collaboration between the military and Okoloba youths is being weaponized to eliminate vibrant Okuama residents as part of a deeper land dispute between the neighboring settlements.

This latest surge in violence has triggered a mass exodus of panic-stricken residents, who are once again seeking refuge in nearby forests and neighboring communities to avoid the escalating hostilities.

A visit to Okuama reveals a landscape defined by grief and uncertainty, with abandoned homes reflecting a populace that feels caught between the demands of the law and the threat of summary violence.

In response to the growing outcry, Army Authorities have issued a statement appealing for calm among law-abiding residents. However, the military remains firm in its stance, vowing to bring every individual declared wanted in connection with the 2024 mass murder to justice.

This uncompromising position has prompted elders of the Okuama community to send an urgent appeal to President Bola Tinubu, requesting the immediate withdrawal of troops to prevent further potential extrajudicial killings and to restore a semblance of peace to the ancestral land.