Murder: Delta community seeks justice for Onuwaje
The Ugborodo Community Management Committee (UCMC) in Delta State, has urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the murder of a youth leader, Emiko Onuwaje, in Ogidigben.
Mr Eyengho Besidone, the Secretary of the UCMC, read the demands of the committee at a media briefing over the weekend at Ugborodo Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.
Share this:
Murder: Delta community seeks justice for Onuwaje
Nathan Tamarapreye
The Ugborodo Community Management Committee (UCMC) in Delta State, has urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the murder of a youth leader, Emiko Onuwaje, in Ogidigben.
Mr Eyengho Besidone, the Secretary of the UCMC, read the demands of the committee at a media briefing over the weekend at Ugborodo Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.
The statement of the committee was co-signed by Mr Besidone and the Chairman of UCMC, Mr Emmanuel Onuwaje.
The committee also called on the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to treat the December 20, 2023, murder of late Onuwaje as a matter of national security concern.
The Ugborodo leadership said that the issue should be treated as a matter of national security concern “involving organised crime, illegal arms, and sabotage of state authority.
“The committee noted that the demands became imperative in view of a central figure’s involvement in the violent activities at Ogidigben.
They alleged that the central figure, who happened to be a traditional chief, had continued to walk freely on the streets of Warri, “untouched by law enforcement agencies, regardless of several petitions written against him.
“The committee, therefore, called on the Inspector-General of Police to ensure the immediate arrest, investigation, and prosecution of the said traditional chief and all his identified accomplices.
The Ugborodo leadership also demanded the immediate investigation into the alleged involvement of compromised security personnel in the gruesome murder of the said deceased.
The committee further sought protection for the witnesses and community members who were under threat and intimidation.
According to the committee, since the murder of Mr Onuwaje, members of a “criminal group” have openly threatened to inflict further harm on Ugborodo residents, repeatedly boasting that the matter is settled, and nothing will happen.
The committee further averred that the perceived “criminal group” claimed that an ‘indigenous top security official of the Delta State government is behind their confidence.’”
“We have observed with grave worry that certain individuals are deliberately attempting to manipulate, dilute, and mischaracterize this case, presenting it as a miscarriage of justice, rather than the cold-blooded murder that it clearly is.
“This deliberate distortion is dangerous. It emboldens criminals, erodes public confidence in the justice system, and sends the wrong signal to our community, already under pressure of future attacks,” the committee said.
However, a prominent Ugborodo indigene, Chief Ayirimi Emami, alleged that some highly placed individuals were shuttling between Abuja and other places to ensure the matter was swept under the carpet.
Chief Emami, a renowned All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain in Delta, said that he would never support the killing of innocent Itsekiris.
He disclosed that his surveillance security company had written a series of petitions regarding alleged illegal bunkering activities of one Okpeyo in Ogidigben, adding that all efforts to arrest the situation had remained unsuccessful.
On his part, Pa James Mene, the Deputy Olare-Aja of Ogidigben Community, appealed to both the federal and Delta State governments and the relevant security agencies to ensure justice for late Emiko Onuwaje.
