Senators representing Delta Central, Delta North and Delta South Senatorial districts, Senator Ede Dafinone, Senator Ned Nwoko and Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas on Wednesday met the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, according to the Senators, was premised on the killing of the 17 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army at Okuama Community in Delta State.
They sympathised with the military over the unfortunate incident while appealing for the release of the detained traditional ruler of Ewu-Urhobo kingdom, His Majesty, Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, Urhukpe 1 in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state over Okuama deaths.
The detained monarch was among the eight persons declared wanted by the military authorities for their alleged involvement in the March 14 tragic incident at Okuama, Ughelli South Local Government Area.
The monarch had surrendered himself to the police in the Delta state before he was transferred to the military, where he was detained after being declared wanted.
The senators who discountenanced their different political affiliations said they were worried by the plight of the traditional ruler in military detention and the need for a lasting peace in the affected communities.
Therefore, they appealed for the release of the traditional ruler as “his continued detention risks exacerbating tensions within Delta.”
Senator representing Delta North, Senator Ned Nwoko, who led the delegation, said they were deeply concerned about the Okuama tragedy and called for calm and cooperation from all quarters in unravelling and addressing the remote and immediate causes.
Read also: First-class graduates of Ritman University get automatic employment
Speaking to the media briefly after the visit, the Senator representing Delta South, Senator Joel-Onowakpo said Deltans are seriously concerned over the development at Okuama. He said it is the desire of the three Senators and other leaders in the state to ensure that peace returns to the affected communities.
While calling for calm and the release of the detained monarch, he restated the importance of avoiding all forms of crisis that may lead to the killing of security officers in the state, saying that no society thrives under crisis conditions.
Recall that following the Okuama tragedy, the military authorities have not only occupied the community, they have also constituted a panel of inquiry to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing of the officers and soldiers allegedly by some youths of the Okuama community in Delta State.
