Police have arrested three Aladja community leaders over alleged breach of the peace accord the community signed with Ogbe-Ijoh, Isaba in Delta State, DAILY POST is reporting.
Those arrested include the 1st Vice President of Aladja Community Council, Pastor Kingsley Vwavwahor, Mr. Harrison Veta, Secretary and Mr. Wisdom Onatomre, Chairman of Aladja Welfare Movement (the Umbrella body of Aladja Youth Council.)
The arrest of the trio followed an invitation of the community leaders by the Police over complaints by Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba that Aladja Community attacked and beheaded their son, Gabriel Sibe, a claim which has not been substantiated yet.
It was also gathered that the police also arrested some representatives of Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh communities.
In a chat with DAILY POST, Aladja community called on the police and the Delta State Governor, Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa to release the leaders of the community.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Comrade Ighotegwolor Bezi said,” No person from Aladja carried out an attack on Isaba. When on Monday last week, Messrs Awhotu Wadjoghen Jevwia and Anthony Isieyan were abducted and killed by Isaba, Nobody was arrested despite our complaints to the security agencies. We would have been happy if it was done by our people to avenge the death of those people killed by Isaba people. Mrs. Baby Ofuru College, Edirin College( from Okwagbe), Mr. Austin Ovedje Oduaran, Mrs. Gloria Oduaran( from Ewu) and the two Oleri boys. Any of these communities could have come to avenge their dead.”
Bezi also frowned at the arrest of three Aladja leaders over the death of Sibe, pointing out that indigenes of Ayama and Epame were rendered homeless by the Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba people who complained and caused the arrests of its leaders.
The Delta State Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka also in a chat with DAILY POST stated that the decision to arrest the Aladja, Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba Community leaders is to bring to an end the hostility between the communities who have been on war paths.
DSP Aniamaka also noted that despite measures put in place by the various security agencies including the police and Delta State government, the hostility continues between the communities, stressing that,” Since 10th November last year, they started hostility, break down of law and order up till last Saturday with the beheading of citizens from both sides.”
” Are you aware that we deployed over 200 men within the communities but they ambushed the police, committed atrocities, assaults and maim their neighbours. We cannot let that continue and we are going to arraign them in Asaba today.”
It would be recalled that Aladja, Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba Communities signed a peace accord to maintain peace on 14th November 2016 at the office of the Area Commander in Warri, but there has been series of attacks and killings with the beheading of some indigenes of Aladja community by armed Ijaw youths from Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba communities.
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