IMPENDING CRISIS IMMINENT IN IBREDE COMMUNITY OVER ALLEGED ILLEGAL ARRESTS, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTIES

Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri

There is an impending imminent crisis in Ibrede community over alleged illegal arrests and wanton destruction of properties just the Community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area have called on the state Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Assistant Inspector General (A.I.G) Zone 5, Benin City to intervene in the alleged destruction/burning of houses and properties , unlawful arrest of innocent citizens of the area by the Delta State Command of the Police, Asaba allegedly under the sponsorship of the Urueboh youth leader, Mr Israel Arueighe.

This call is contained in a seven page petition written by HRM J.D Iliromah (JP) and the Edio in Council of Ibrede Community made available to National Reformer, the community also accused chairman, Transition Committee, Ndokwa West Local Government Council, his vice, Mr. Innocent Ogboru who incidentally is from the crises ridden area of allegedly conniving and deliberately feeding the Delta State Police Commissioner falsehood that is leading to the continuous arrest and the unfortunate incident that followed recently.

The community alleged that the Delta State Police Command was aware of the lingering crisis between the Urueboh people led by Mr Israel Arueighe against the entire Ibrede people over the ownership of fishing area/land dispute called Odabor that subsequently snowballed into intra-communal clashes.

It was alleged that the Ibrede Community President General, Foke Onomerike in company of others had earlier gone to the Divisional Police Station at Ashaka to report a threat text message from the opposite camp ”but the D.C.O 1 refused them putting the report down in writing at the station” adding that similar efforts by the community chairman at Asaba did not yield result as the O.C SARS, one Mr. Chris refused to document it.

According to the community, ”It would shock you to know that the local government transition committee chairman wrote at the state police headquarters that the Urueboh people owned the said land in dispute, a community he does not know anything about, and this is besides the continuous intimidation of the community with soldiers.”

The Community added, ”we are pained to see our Monarch who is seriously sick in company of others going with him to the Delta State Teaching Hospital, Oghara for treatment arrested and detained, while at the same time  the police officers patrolling the town arresting any person they could lay their hands on, many of which are still in detention. ‘We have completely lost confidence in the Ndokwa East Local Government Authority and the member representing us at the Delta State House of Assembly to fairly investigate or resolve the matter
without bias, and as peace loving people who do not want to go violent on this issue, we are calling on the peace loving governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan to intervene on this matter that has reached its peak by setting up a judicial panel of inquiry with a view to solving it quickly.”.

Contacted for comments on the issue, ASP Celestina Kalu, Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command said that the police moved into the community to restore peace, adding that all those arrested are people allegedly burning and destroying properties, she added that efforts are in top gear to ensure that the warring parties are brought together to dialogue on the issue with a view to permanently restore peace in the area.