Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has cautioned traditional rulers in the state against shielding suspects involved in the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
Oborevwori gave the warning when he addressed the traditional rulers on the killing of the soldiers at the State Traditional Rulers’ Council Secretariat in Asaba, the Delta State capital, on Thursday, March 21, 2024.
The governor, who said the act was alien to the state, described it as barbaric, inhumane, and unacceptable and vowed that those involved in the killing of the military personnel will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He said no community should shield the perpetrators of the dastardly act, adding that Delta State was governed within the tenets of the rule of law and human decency.
Oborevwori said: “We cannot tolerate that. It has never happened in this state; to kill one Lt. Colonel, two Majors, one Captain, and 13 Soldiers. We need to fish out those involved.
“Do not hide or shield anybody. The Chief of Army Staff and Mr. President have assured me that innocent people will not be victimised; unless you connive with the killers of the soldiers.
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“I have briefed you and make sure that you fish them out from your kingdoms. If any traditional ruler shields a criminal, that traditional ruler is inviting trouble.
“We did not bargain for this evil act but for peace, I don’t want crisis. I have also received information that two other villages are boiling to fight, they should not fight, we want peace in all our communities.
“What are they fighting for? I have promised you people that I am going to do more for Deltans, so what are they fighting for? All of us are Deltans and we want development.
“For the first time almost two decades, we had peace in Warri in December and people celebrated in peace. Now we have a communal crisis, why?
“I condemn it and it’s unacceptable. So please my dear royal fathers let us be on the same page to fish out these people. Don’t allow anybody who committed this evil act to come to your kingdoms and bring problem to your community.
“Tell us and we will hand them over to security agencies. You should not play politics with this. Don’t say that the army has taken over your village because they cannot just come to your village without getting information. But I assure you people that no innocent person will be victimised.
“Tell your people not to encourage crisis because if you do, you cannot come out of it. Some people don’t have knowledge of what is happening and they start talking. What I did was to go and brief the Commander in Chief and later granted the State House Correspondents interview.”
Responding, the Chairman of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, Maj. Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (retd), said they were on the same page with the governor to ensure peace and security in the state.
While saying that the security of various communities would come together to the security of the state and the nation, he called for a judicial panel of enquiry to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the crisis.
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