The President General of Ewu Kingdom, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, has been arrested by men in military uniform at an undisclosed location in Sapele on Sunday night, with his current whereabouts unknown. This arrest was followed by the detention of two other Okuama leaders, Chief Belvis Adogbo and Dennis Akugbaye, on Monday morning by armed men in plain clothes at various locations in Ughelli.
According to a source within the Okuama community, the arrests may be linked to the violent incident in March 2024, which resulted in the deaths of 17 military personnel. The source, who chose to remain anonymous, speculated that the arrests were likely conducted by operatives suspected to be from the Department of State Services (DSS). However, no official statements have been released by security agencies, and a senior police officer claimed to be unaware of the situation.
The timing of these arrests is particularly concerning, as peace was reportedly beginning to return to the troubled Okuama community. The Delta State government had been making plans to resettle those displaced by the violence earlier this year.
The March 2024 incident had escalated tensions significantly, when soldiers of the Nigerian Army allegedly razed the entire Okuama community in a reprisal attack after gunmen killed 17 military personnel near the area. The destruction left the community, including hospitals, schools, and private buildings, in ruins.
The arrests have now raised fears of renewed unrest in the region, with community members expressing concern over the fate of their leaders and the future of their community.
