The crisis in the Ogbe-Ijoh community of Delta state escalated on Friday when some youths suspected to be ijaw indigenes decapitated an Urhobo indigene residing at Aladja, Udu Local Government Area, James Oghenekparabor Elvis
The armed youths, who stormed Aladja on Friday, also razed two houses and two cars. Earlier report indicated that the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Ovwian-Aladja , led mobile policemen to repel the offensive, but the outcome showed the contrary. The Urhobo boy that was beheaded hailed from Eyara town in Ughelli South local government area, but his mother, an Aladja native, is the daughter of late Chief Tabuuko from Ujevwu town in Udu local government area.
Chairman of the Delta Waterways and Land Security Committee, DWLSC, Warri, Chief Boro Opudu, told Vanguard when contacted on phone:
“What happened was very unfortunate, we were working on peace and just when we thought peace had come, this incident happened. We are investigating to know why it happened and who perpetrated it.”
“The government has already deployed security agents to the two communities, they have taken over the two communities already,” he added.
An Urhobo youth leader, who spoke to Vanguard on the attack, said:
“Before the police mobilized to the scene, the deed had been done, the mobile policemen stationed there did not make any move, they killed the boy (James) just one pole distance from where the police were sitting. They shot him before cutting off his head.”
It was gathered that Aladja youths, who were initially guarding their community were caught unawares, as they believe there was no more trouble after Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja signed a peace accord. But, some youths of Ogbe-Ijoh, who fingered Aladja for the beheading of Bebebo, penultimate Friday, did not mince words that they would retaliate.
A media source source said:
“Based on the peace accord, Aladja youths were no longer guarding in the day time as they used to, in fact, the youths were all at a party at the opening ceremony of a hotel within Aladja. All these happened because they have embraced peace. However, the peace process has now been scuttled.”
“Aladja community has lost confidence in the police, we want them to leave so that we can guide and help ourselves. The implication of this is that the crisis may escalate, Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba planned the attack same time, they passed through both ends,” he said.
An Ogbe-Ijoh leader contacted by Vanguard on Sunday morning said he was not aware of the incident and promised to investigate.