The women of Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State at the weekend protested against what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area, who they alleged were threatening the peace of the riverine area.
The placard-carrying women, led by the chairlady of the Okoloba community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs. Mary Koibi, staged a peaceful protest along the coastal fringe of Okoloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath, as well as sending an S.O.S. to the federal government to come to their aid.
Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say No to violence’, ‘Enough of the killings on our land’, ‘Armed Okuama youths returning in a commando-style’, ‘We say No to the return of armed youths of Okuama’, ‘Resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA’, ‘We mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers,’ among others.
The chairlady of Okoloba, Mrs Goodwin, while speaking to journalists, noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.
“First, we the women of the Okoloba community sympathise with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on a 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.
“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, a 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 sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.
“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human being 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 in camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to Okuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and 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 the Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.
“Resettling them among their own people in the Ewu clan of Urhobo land will foster mutual trust among themselves as they are of the same ancestry and speak the same dialect,” the women added.
Sylvester Idowu
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