By Dipo Olowookere
Following the purported unprovoked attack on Ogbe-Ijoh-Isaba community in Warri South West local government area of Delta State allegedly by youths from Aladja, a neighbouring Urhobo community on Thursday, November 16, 2017, which claimed the life of a notable Ijaw youth, Mr Ebi Tontimi, and another person, the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators’ for Peace Organization (NDEPO) has called on the Delta State Governor, Mr Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, to intervene to discourage such dastardly acts.
The group said the senseless killings do not portray the state government in good light as would-be investors may be scared to come to the area.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja last Thursday, Country Coordinator of NDEPO, Comrade Ambassador George Sinclair expressed worry that such unwarranted and senseless killings in the local government area speak volume of the high level insecurity in the state, particularly in Warri South West local government area.
He warned that if the ugly trend is allowed to continue without meaningful and visible government’s intervention, the insecurity level may degenerate to a point where there could be reprisal attacks that could lead to a full scale inter community war.
He therefore called on the Governor to immediately set a judicial commission of enquiry to investigate the remote cause of the unprovoked invasion of the community to quickly to stop the killings and resolve the crisis, lamenting that it was appalling to hear of a neighbouring community invading a sister community to the point of even beheading two enterprising young men in broad day light.
The ex-agitators leader who is also a peace Ambassador described the incident as a surprise attack on the collective sensibilities of the people, blamed the Delta State government for its insensitivity over the protracted inter community crisis that has been going on for a while without any noticeable intervention from either the state Governor or the Delta State House of Assembly.
