Barely 24 hours after he addressed the press on insecurity in his domain, the President-General of Ovwian community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, Alfred Urhukpe, has died.
He reportedly died in the late hours of Wednesday, March 24, 2021, after a brief illness.
Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the death but dispelled the tumour of an alleged murder.
Tribune Online recalls that there has been an upsurge in cult killings in Owvian area, prompting the Delta State Police Command to launch a crackdown on suspected cultists in the area. Eleven persons arrested on Wednesday morning.
In his press briefing at Onwian Town Hall, the deceased had sought the intervention of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and security agencies over killings and maiming of youths by suspected cults in Udu area.
Urukpe stated that cult clashes had becone a menace in Ovwian and neighbouring communities, noting that adequate security of lives and properties was the cardinal point of the governor’s campaign promises to the people of Ovwian community.
According to him, over 20 persons have been killed in Ovwian, Ekete, Ujevwu, Owhase, Orhuwhorun and other neighbouring communities in Udu LGA as a result of cult clashes.
He added that the people could no longer go about their normal businesses in Udu LGA for fear of being harassed, robbed or killed, appealing to Governor Okowa, the Chairman of Udu LGA, Hon. Jite Brown and security agencies to rejig the security architecture.
However, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Ari Muhammed Ali, on Wednesday, urged members of the public to continue to support and help the police with vital information to stamp out cultism and other violent crimes in the state.
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