An inter-communal crisis is brewing between the Ijaw-speaking Okoloba federated community in Bomadi Local Government Area and the Urhobo-speaking Okuama community in Ughelli South Council Area in the riverine enclave of Delta State.
Residents in the Bomadi LGA community have petitioned Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on the incessant and unprovoked attacks and criminal invasions of farmlands and fishing lakes owned by the Okoloba federated community by the people of Okuama.
Mr. Clement Koki, the chairman of the Okoloba federated community, alleged that their neighboring Okuama community had invaded and attacked their people, farmlands, and fishing grounds on multiple occasions without provocation.
He said, “There is no denying that in the absence of peace and harmonious co-existence, meaningful development is unattainable. The resulting situation is anarchy and disorderliness, precursors to underdevelopment.
“Specifically, on December 17, 2023, the people of Okuama arrived in large numbers at our community waterfront and began cutting trees and grass under the pretense of fishing, thereby exposing the shoreline to massive erosion. Simultaneously, they were indiscriminately blasting dynamites.
“These acts are strictly prohibited in the community and attract severe penalties for offenders, a fact well known to the people of Okuama. The aim is to preserve our ecosystem due to the erosion affecting our shorelines, which endangers the safety of our land, buildings, and the livelihood of our people.
“The Okuama community persistently carries out such destructive acts, including dynamite blasting, the use of other hazardous explosives, and corrosive chemicals in our waterfronts, destroying aquatic life and causing considerable environmental degradation such as earth tremors.
“After issuing several warnings, which they have consistently disregarded, Okoloba youths pursued the perpetrators on a fateful day and apprehended two young men while others escaped. We interrogated them without causing any physical harm.
“Upon learning that their relatives were arrested for illegal and criminal activities, they came pleading and promised to pay the customary paltry sum of #30,000.00 for offenses of such magnitude.
“Instead of complying, they abducted numerous defenseless women and children from our fishing lakes, including pregnant women, all of whom they ruthlessly assaulted with AK 47 rifles, machetes, axes, daggers, and other dangerous weapons and corrosive chemicals.
“Following the brutal assault on the women and children, some of whom they threatened to mercilessly rape, they took them to an unknown location. Timely intervention by HRM Pere S. P. Luke, Kalanama VIII, Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, prevented a complete breakdown of law and order.
“They released the abducted women and children in exchange for their criminal relatives but retained the canoes, assorted fishing gear, handsets, cash, and other items for themselves despite all appeals.
“They also threatened to attack us, boasting of their cache of AK 47 rifles and ammunition, stating they would mobilize their brethren in Ewu kingdom to attack us at any moment.
“They engage in various despicable acts to incite a direct confrontation with us, risking the peace along the coastal lines.
“As peace-loving people, this message is to implore Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori to use his office to dissuade the people of Okuama from their criminal and illegal acts on our land, as these actions may spark inter-communal hostilities and bloodshed.”
When contacted, DSP Bright Edafe, State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), mentioned that the command is actively handling the matter.
