Ex-Delta SSG Mulls Traditional Method To Tackle Ritual Killings

A former Secretary to Delta State Government, (SSG), Chief Ovuozourie Macaulay has called for prayers and traditional ways to address various insecurity challenges bedeviling the Owhelogbo community in Isoko North local government area of the state.

The call followed the murder of three persons reportedly for ritual purposes within the community in the last eight months.

LEADERSHIP gathers that the recent occurrence was the gruesome murder of a Point of Sales (PoS) attendant, Mercy Odhegba, who was killed by yet-to-identified gunmen in Warri.

Condemning the killings during a condolence visit on the family on Tuesday, Chief Macaulay also charged the various leadership organs of the community to formulate concerted measures to end the dastardly killings in the community.

While sympathising with the family over the gruesome murder of the PoS attendant, Macaulay, who is also the Okiroro of Isoko nation, renewed his call for community policing in the country.

“It is highly desirable to curb crimes in the grassroots communities,” he stressed.

Macaulay, who expressed sadness over recent killings within Owhelogbo community, said, ”We must act fast to curb this menace. Just within eight months, we have recorded three different killings and this is heartbreaking. Tomorrow, it can be anyone.

“As fathers, mothers and youths, we must put all necessary measures in place to ensure we secure this community. We shouldn’t leave it for only the vigilantes or the police.

“As landlords and leaders, we must put up measures to monitor those staying in our compounds. And we must report suspicious moves and actions to the security agencies. Without information they cannot act,” Macaulay said.

He reminded that people that the security of the community is everybody’s business. “We should be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. This is the only way we can effectively protect this community”, he advised.