Authorities of the Nigeria Army have declared six Okuama-Ewu Community Indigenes and others wanted over their alleged involvement in the recent killing of 17 Soldiers, who were on a peacekeeping mission in Okuama-Ewu Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Recall that the 17 Soldiers were gruesomely killed when they were ambushed on the 14th of March 2024 by some hoodlums over land disputes crisis which erupted in the locality.
An eye witness who spoke about how it happened but refused to disclose his identity, said that there had been lingering feud ensued between the people of Okuama-Ewu Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okoloba Community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State over a land dispute in the locality.
The source further said that the ugly development led to the forceful invasion of Okuama-Ewu Community by the military on the 15th March 2024, scouting for those who engaged in the dastardly minded acts against the soldiers.
The source further said that those declared wanted even though they are perceived to be innocent are Jumbo Pikolo, Jefferson Akpororo, Tina Akureje, Florence Imakpo, Uwaifo Lucky, who is known as a driver and personal assistant to the Okuama-Ewu Community King and Victor Pam, among others and were said not to have been involved in the killing but the military still took over the community to the extent that the people including men, women, children, girls and boys ran away from their houses to unknown places to hide.
The source noted that the military even arrested Mr. Clement who is the traditional ruler in Okuama-Ewu Community and was taken to Army headquarters in Abuja for interrogation on the killing.
The source also confirmed that those declared wanted are to be persecuted by the Federal Government once they are captured. The source explained that information which later reached the military confirmed that some of the hoodlums who were caught had escaped from their custody but they still declared the aforementioned innocent Indigenes of the Okuama-Ewu community wanted.
The source confirmed that the military is still on the lookout for Uwaifo Lucky, the driver and PA to the King, and the others who are declared wanted. It was confirmed during the forceful invasion by the army of Okuama-Ewu community, houses and shops including a hair dressing salon shop belonging to the wife of Uwaifo Lucky were burnt down just to avenge the killing of the 17 Soldiers.
The source maintained that the continued laying siege and invasion by the army, elicited to persecute those been declared wanted, especially having become glaring that the military were planning to arrest and prosecute them in a case of treasonable felony they were not involved and it was on that reason, the alleged suspects escaped to prevent their unlawful arrest and prosecution.
The source said, the order by President Tinubu to the military to fish out everybody that was declared wanted in the killing of the soldiers has made residents of the Okuama-Ewu Community to flee to unknown destinations. As at press time, no single soul was seen in Okuama-Ewu Community as the military had taken over everywhere to avenge the killing of their patriotic colleagues.
As at the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the alleged suspects (though innocent) including Uwaifo Lucky, who is a Driver/PA to the King of Okuama-Ewu Community, his wife and child is no were to be found in the country. The entire Okuama-Ewu Community had been gripped with the fear of the military and Okoloba Community possible attack on innocent people.