Francis Sadhere
The people of Olomu Kingdom in Ughelli-South local government area of Delta State have called on the Federal Government to set up a unit of the Joint Task Force at the Oviri-Aloba-Ovwodokpokpo and Okpavuerhe axis of the kingdom to checkmate the rate of kidnapping taken place there.
This call was contained in a communiqué signed by HRM Ovie, R.L. Ogbon, Ogoni-Oghoro I, The Ohworode of Olomu; Olorogun M.O.P Ovbagbedia, The Otota of Olomu Kingdom and Olorogun John Ewenede, Chairman Communique Drafting Committee, at the end of emergency security meeting of all Olomu Communities at Ohworode palace at Ogoni-Olomu weekend.
Also, people have constituted and inaugurated a 30-man security committee beside the central vigilante group to monitor and check criminal activities in the area.
The communiqué reads, “After an exhaustive discussion of the issue involved – security challenges facing the kingdom, the following resolutions were reached. That the Olomu people strongly condemn criminality in its entirety including kidnapping.”
According to the communiqué: “That we, the Olomu people, sincerely and passionately plead with both the federal and state government to, as a matter of urgency, set up a unit of the JTF at the Oviri-Aloba-Ovwodokpokpo and Okpavuerhe axis of the kingdom to checkmate quick and easy movement to the River Niger through where the victims of kidnap are often taken across to the creeks and the sea.”
“That the recent kidnapping of a 76 year old woman, Mrs. Otiti Esegba from her house at Akperhe-Olomu; the kidnapping of Dr. Richard Kofi of Okpare- Olomu at Ughelli and another woman from Ovwodokpokpo-Olomu, are totally condemnable and unacceptable,” it added.
The communiqué also urged the Delta State Government to look into the porosity of Olomu boundaries with some of her neighbouring kingdoms which provide easy access to the River Niger, with a view to securing it.
“That we use this medium to strongly appeal to and warn all our youths, indigenes and non-indigenes to quickly desist from all forms of criminal acts in the kingdom, and of course, as the end result is usually unpalatable and disastrous.” The communique added.
The Olomu people use the medium to commend all members of the Olomu central vigilante who have worked seriously to maintain peace in the kingdom.
They also expressed their implicit confidence in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State.
