Release our son dead or alive, Egbema/Arogbo kingdoms tell Aladja community

PEOPLE of Egbema and Arogbo kingdoms of Warri South and Ese Odo local government areas of Delta and Ondo states have called on the killers/abductors of one Pius Okito at Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh creek to release their son dead or alive.

They also called on the Delta State government and all security agencies to prevail on Aladja community to produce 39-year-old Okito, “if they are not fighting Ijaws randomly.”

But reacting to the allegation, youth President of Aladja in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Wisdom Onatomre, labelled the accusers as liars who love to fabricate stories to shield their daily atrocities against Aladja community.

“Frankly speaking, those Ijaws have no truth in their mouths. When did the so-called incident happen?

We were all at a wedding ceremony of one of the daughters of one our prominent sons.

When did it happen? They are just covering up their evils. None of us was there, “Onatomre insisted.

Narrating what transpired, Chief Barrister Olowo, President-General, Arogbo Community in Warri and Edy Okito, representative of the Okito family of Egbema Warri community, stated in a statement made available to journalists in Warri on Tuesday that “We wish to inform the general public that our son, Pius Okito, was shot and abducted by Aladja youths.

He was shot and abducted while embarking on a fishing expedition with his friend, Perela Pounah in a creek between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities in Warri, on Sunday 7th May, 2017.

They were catching fish with throwing-net when Aladja fighters, who came with a speed boat, attacked them.

They released three gunshots and Pius Okito was shot and abducted while Perela Pounah narrowly escaped death.”

Tribune Online gathered that Okito hails from Polobobo (Isekelewu) Ijaw community in Egbema kingdom, while the survivor, Perela Pounah hails from Opuba community in Arogbo kingdom.

The survivor and the “missing” Okito were both living as tenants in Fenegbene community in Warri Corner before the incident.

Since Okito is not from Ogbe-Ijoh or Isaba communities, Chief Olowo said he shouldn’t be conscripted into the communal animosity ongoing between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities.

“Egbema is not part of the war between Aladja and OgbeIjoh communities and there is no point our son be abducted or likely killed unnecessarily.

Aladja people should produce our son. This is a clear sign that they are fighting Ijaws randomly,” Olowo and Okito noted.

Meanwhile, Tribune Online gathered that the incident had been reported at the Warri Area Command and Marine Police, Warri, Delta State.

A search team led by Marine Police, Warri was said to have visited the scene of the incident on Monday, but Okito, his canoe and paddle were found except the fishing net.

Where ever he is being kept he should be release in immediately effect.

If they have kill him, they should tell us, for the fact that he has not been seen for about three days since the incident, we are made to believe that he may have been killed.

But we want to equally assume that he is kept in their detention.

It is our candid demand that he should be released without further delay. Whatever is his present condition in their custody, we want him live,” the two kingdoms of Egbema and Arogbo pleaded.