From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Otulu-Ugo, a community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, has raised alarm over alleged plans to attack it by hoodlums who are secretly being trained as vigilante members.
Addressing journalists, the community leader, Francis Medolunwa, alleged that security operatives were enlisted to train the said group of vigilante members with the intention of unleashing mayhem in Otulu-Ugo as a result of the community’s self-determination struggle.
He argued that the community had a fledging vigilance group that had ensured the security of lives and property, adding that any attempt to bring an external group as a vigilante will be resisted.
In a swift reaction, the spokesperson of the’s state Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, dismissed the allegation, saying police authority will never approve of such training particularly as it is outside Police College.
Regardless, Medolunwa urged security agents to reach out to community leaders for individuals to be trained and commissioned to work with them, insisting that they will not welcome foreigners as vigilantes in their land.
The community leader further called on Delta State Government to recognise and give the staff of office to their appointed traditional ruler for enduring peace, noting that Otulu-Ugo had suffered oppression, harassment and intimidation from its neighbours in the land which they inherited from their ancestors.
He explained that anybody interested in the community, either the state government, neighbouring communities or individuals should wait for the ruling of the court in suit number 01/38/2021 which is pending before a Delta State High Court in Asaba.
While reiterating his call on the state government and security agencies to come to their aid, Medolunwa recalled that since the unwholesome incident of September 2021, where one of their able-bodied young men, Mr Cletus Okpala, was shot dead, policemen, on the instance of Ogwashi-Uku, had been arresting and charging innocent indigenes of Otulu-Ugo.
According to him, they had written petitions and the police knew those responsible for the murder of Okpala, whose corpse is still in the mortuary, but they keep prosecuting innocent persons.
He revealed that Force CID had concluded its investigations but powerful individuals in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom were influencing the authorities and frustrating efforts to charge the case to court.
