Few days human rights activist, Femi Falana said the Nigerian Army lacked powers to deprive Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and journalists access to Okuama community, Ughelli south local government area of the state, the governor has been cleared to visit the community.
The governor who visited the community on Saturday, was accompanied by some government officials.
Abaniwonda Olufemi, Commissioner of Police, Delta state once said in an interview with Arise TV that the governor, police and journalists would need clearance to gain access to the troubled Okuama community because of an ongoing military operation in the area.
When asked about what type of clearance and from whom he would get it, Olufemi said that it would come from a military theatre commander or the operation commander.
“For us to get to Okoloba or Okuama, we must get clearance. Since that incident happened, it has become what I call a military operation zone. We have not been able to move into this community. He explained that he had to be sure that the officers he sent in would not be hurt by the military’s presence.
“Of course, it is our responsibility as the primary line of defence in internal security. But when you have another sister agency conducting an operation, the reasonable thing to do is to wait for them to finish.
“We have not been able to get into Okuama because of the volatile nature of what is going on around that environment. Journalists have not been allowed to see what has really happened in Okuama. Olufemi said that he
“In the Okuama incident, we have an ongoing military operation there. We have been on ground; we have been supportive and we have not been missing in action. We are working in conjunction with other security agencies and I can assure you that we are making progress,” Olufemi said.
Meanwhile, Governor Oborevwori has reiterated that innocent citizens would not be made to suffer for what they know nothing about.
The governor gave an assurance for the safe return of the indigenes who fled the community in the wake of the crisis of their safe return.
Recall that 17 officers and soldiers and an unspecified number of residents were killed in Okuama community on the 14th of March, 2024. A development which made the people of the community to flee for fear of being attacked.
