Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, and Urhobo leaders have decried the death of prominent Okuama Community leaders, in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, in military detention.
President General of Okuama Community, Pa James Oghoroko, died on December 6, while and Pa Dennis Okugbaye, the community's Treasurer, died on Wednesday (yesterday), both in military detention, at a military facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Rule of law should be followed, no matter the crime --PANDEF
Reacting to the death of the President General of Okuama community in military detention, PANDEF, yesterday, said it was yet to be briefed, describing the news as most unfortunate.
National Spokesman of PANDEF, Dr. Christopher Ominimini, in a telephone chat with Vanguard said: "PANDEF is yet to have the details but will liaise with the President General of the ethnic nationality union before it will know the step to take.
"All PANDEF wants is peace in the Niger Delta. However, PANDEF is sad over the death of those soldiers who are Nigerians and working for the country. Nobody is expected to be murdered gruesomely. So, we sympathise with the Nigerian Army and Mr. President who is the commander-in-Chief.
"Having said that we also want a society that is governed by the rule of law, but when people are arrested irrespective of the offence allegedly committed, the rule of law should be followed diligently.
"The death is painful but we cannot respond without knowing the details. The death of the community President- General is very painful and regrettable. Nobody should die in the hands of either the military or the police, people arrested and under investigation. We sympathise with the family, Urhobo Progress Union, Ewu Kingdom, Okuama community and the governor of Delta State.
"We learned that the governor of Delta State has given a directive for an autopsy to be conducted to known the cause of death. However, PANDEF, has appealed to the family, community and everybody to maintain the peace and give the state government the opportunity to do the needful.
"PANDEF will continue to work towards bringing peace to the Niger Delta.We have set up a seven man committee headed by Obong Victor Attah, former governor of Akwa Ibom State to ensure that wherever there is crisis peace is restored."
Leaders' death in military detention unacceptable --Gbemre
According to Zik Gbemre, and Urhobo activist, "With the death of yet another Okuama community leader, 81 years old Pa Dennis Okugbaye, in military detention without trial, it is now obvious there is a grand conspiracy by the Federal Government for extra-judicial killing of Okuama community leaders.
"The death of Pa Okugbaye, Treasurer of Okuama, comes just six days after President General of Okuama community in Ughelli South LGA, Pa. Oghoroko, a septuagenarian died in same circumstance.
"A Professor of Physics and President General of Ewu Kingdom, Arthur Ekpokpo and three others are still being illegally held in military custody over the Okuama crisis.
"The military is gradually killing these people without a court of competent jurisdiction having convicted anyone of them for alleged role in the March 2024, killing of 17 soldiers on a doubtful peace mission in Okuama.
"This same Nigerian Army has admitted that prime suspect over the killing soldiers in Okuama is an Ijaw militant, who is neither related to Okuama nor live there. The Nigerian Army, by their intelligence gathering admitted that the said prime suspect killed 17 soldiers in anger over military disruption of his oil theft escapades.
"This was after the army had invaded, burnt and levelled every structure, but left one church building, in Okuama, killing unverified number of residents in the vengeful mission to push Okuama into extinction. Now they are gradually killing Okuama community leaders with detention without trial with impunity while the prime suspect is walking a freeman.
"From what is now common knowledge, the Army is also exercising the impunity to extort from relations of the arrested persons. On December 6, 2024, the authorities had issued a signal for release of Pa Okugbaye on health ground to enable him get medicinal attention.
"That directive was kept on hold for three days till those in charge pressured the deceased family to cough out over N400,000 paid through a POS recommended by men of the Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
"And as always, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori as Chief Security Officer of Delta State and full blooded Urhobo man is so mum, so unfeeling. The UPU President General, Ese Gam Owe has not pronounced a word. Should we keep silent and leave Okuama community rudderless in the face of clear conspiracy to exterminate her people? Should Urhobo Nation be quiet.
"President Bola Tinubu, you are President of Nigeria and not a military head of state. So, the military has no constitutional power to detain civilians without trial in law courts? If the military has any reason to arrest them, then they must hand them over to Nigerian police force.
"Tinubu who claims to be a democrat is leading the administration when Okuama civilians were being detained by the military. The military detention is not trial of any kind. Tinubu please tell your military to release the remaining detained Ewu and Okuama leaders still languishing in military detention without trials.
"Please release Prof. Ekpokpo and others still in military detention. I condemn kiling of soldiers, innocent Okuama locals and burning of Okuama community. I am in pains as I write this. Tinubu you lived in US and schooled in US, is that how the military perform official duties in US?
"Is it military that detain civilians in US, UK and France without trials? Few days ago, Tinubu was in France and you saw how the country is organised and led by leaders. Why don't you borrow the leadership qualities you see in France and UK that you visit frequently. For the military to detain civilians is outdated and undemocratic.
"You have ambassadors in democracy strongholds, please ask them what is in vogue in leadership. We won't accept Nigerian military torturing Okuama community leaders to death in military detention. It is unacceptable," he added.
It points to repression of Urhobo people --Prof. Awhefeada
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On his part, Prof. Sunny Awhefeada, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Delta State University, said: "It is a very sad and unacceptable occurrence and it directly points at the military and Federal Government backed repression of the Urhobo people.
"What happened is not just the abuse of the instrument of state violence, but a tragedy that will cast a dark shade on the Nigerian state for a long time to come. Only last week, Amnesty International raised the alarm over alleged deaths in military detention and these two incidents happened.
"Is Amnesty International not proved right now? The Urhobo nation at the appropriate time should sue the military and the Nigerian state to the International Criminal Court. This is one death too many. My condolences to the families of the bereaved, the Okuama people and the Urhobo nation," he added.
Okuama people should enjoy due process --Egi
Also, an Urhobo leader, Engr. Michael Egi, said: "It's a shame that the Nigerian government and it's tools of oppression have tacitly given the Nigerian military an open checkbook to do whatever they want on the people of Okuama. Are the Okuama people not Nigerians who should be given due process?
"Urhobos are appealing to the Federal Government to call it's army of oppression to order before there is an organised resistance which no Urhobo wants, but we are not just going to fold our hands and allow the Nigerian military take us out one after the other.
"We are watching and may soon call on the international community to ban arms export to Nigeria if this operation does not stop," he said.
