Two feared dead as soldiers allegedly invade Delta community

Two people are feared dead at Okere community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State following a Saturday afternoon shooting by soldiers drafted from the 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Effurun.

The Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Major A. Ohegbe, told journalists that he was unaware of any shooting but confirmed the heavy presence of security personnel during the visit of the Olu of Warri to the community on Saturday.

According to him, the presence of soldiers was orchestrated by the resistance to the monarch’s visit by a section of the people of the Okere community, believed to be loyal to Chief Ayiri Emami, the ousted Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom.

Besides the two—identified as Macaulay Uku and Daniel Grey—said to have been allegedly killed, several others were said to have also sustained injuries during the shooting.

The deceased and those injured were said to be loyalists of the ousted Chief Emami, whose support base is in the Okere community.

Sources, who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday morning, insisted that a section of youths in the Okere Community had resisted the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, from performing a traditional rite at the ancient grove harbouring an ancestral shrine.

“This is a sacrilege. The Olu is Ogiame, owner of Warri lands and waters. He’s Afomasi (the one who cannot be questioned). How can a group of people stop the paramount ruler from visiting a part of his kingdom?” a top Itsekiri told our correspondent in confidence.

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The angry youths and supposed supporters of Emami were said to be resisting the monarch from desecrating the shrine by pouring anointing oil as libation on the ground.

The two deceased people reportedly died one after the other on Saturday from injuries they allegedly sustained during the shootout with the soldiers.

It will, however, be recalled that a section of the Okere community is backing Chief Emami, whose purported removal is the subject of subsisting litigation.

The section said to be loyal to Emami, a business mogul and chieftain of the APC in Delta State, is opposed to the monarch’s ascension to his father’s throne ab initio.

Unfortunately, the Saturday imbroglio is coming a few days after the AareOnakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, visited the Olu of Warri and addressed the Itsekiri, urging them to support their monarch and unite to move the Warri kingdom forward.

He also put into action his metaphysical authority by decreeing doom to the enemies of Iwereland.