TENSION AS ANOTHER OKUAMA COMMUNITY LEADER DIES IN MILITARY CUSTODY

An 81-year-old treasurer of Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Dennis Okugbaye, has died in military detention.

This comes barely six days after the community’s President-General, Pa James Oghoroko, also died in military detention. Oghoroko, Okugbaye, alongside other leaders of the community including Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs. Mabel Owhemu, and Mr. Dennis Malaka, were arrested by the military between August 18 and 20, 2024.

The arrests followed the March 14 killing of 17 soldiers on a peace mission aimed at resolving a dispute between Okuama and the neighboring Okoloba community.

The military had responded to the soldiers’ deaths with a violent raid on Okuama, reducing the town to ruins and forcing residents to flee to an internally displaced persons camp in Ewu Kingdom, established by the Delta State government.

Pastor Akpos Okugbaye, the son of the late community treasurer, announced his father’s passing on Tuesday, December 10.

The death of Pa Okugbaye has sent shockwaves through the already mourning community, reigniting protests.

Aggrieved Okuama youths and women, on Tuesday, renewed their seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and the military, demanding the release of all detained leaders and the return of Pa Oghoroko’s corpse.

“After the seven days, this river will be blocked. Let the soldiers and Tinubu come and kill us so that we know Okuama is wiped out entirely,” protesters declared on Sunday.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Elder Ohwotake Otiero, condemned the deaths in detention and called for immediate action:

“We want the corpse and those detained to be released immediately. We will take the laws into our hands because we have been pushed to the wall. Why should our P-G be killed through torture?”