Idumuje Ugboko Indigenes Petition Governor Okowa

Anayo Okolie

Indigenes of Idumuje-Ugboko town in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State have appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to intervene to halt the harassment and intimidation of residents by some persons claiming the right to the community’s kingship. They accused some of those competing for the vacant stool in Idumuje-Ugboko kingdom of sponsoring criminal activities in the community and planning to unleash mayhem on perceived opponents.

It would be recalled that a recent incident in the community had, reportedly, resulted in deaths and the abduction and brutalisation of some chiefs and elders.

A spokesperson for the concerned indigenes, Mr. Charles Okolie, said in a statement, “We want to place it on record that the lives of the Iyase, the traditional Prime Minister, Chief Chris Ogwu, the Odogwu, the Defence Minister, Chief Kennedy Iloh, the two wives of the late monarch, HRM Albert Agbogidi Nwoko III, Ph. D, JP, and others are in danger as the persons who committed the act are still walking about in the community freely and taking refuge in the palace as they have not been arrested by the police…

Okolie stated, “We want to appeal to Dr. Okowa to show more concern to what is happening in Idumuje-Ugboko kingdom before the planned mayhem and bloodbath is unleashed on the indigenes of Idumuje-Ugboko who have been peace-loving and law-abiding.

“Although the governor has declared that his government would recognise only the next occupant of the throne who emerged through the traditional process of selecting the kings by the community, the issue today is the security of lives and property of our people.”

Okolie also appealed to the state police command to “separate the acts of criminality from kingship tussle.”