Killing Of ‘Oleh 12’: Okowa’s Delay In Releasing White Paper On Boundary Dispute Sparks Protest

The alleged failure of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration to implement the reports and resolutions of the committee on boundary adjustment in the disputed land between Oleh and Ozoro communities over one year after, have sparked protest in the two oil producing area.

BIGPENNGR.COM reports that the protest is coming one year and seven months after the gruesome murder of twelve persons in a farmland in Isoko South Council Area.

Indigenes of Oleh and Ozoro communities enmeshed in a protracted land dispute, on Thursday, blocked major highway in protest over Delta State Government failure to resolve the crisis.

Oleh indigenes at the wee hours of the day barricaded all entry points into the community, protesting the delay by the state government to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice.

Ozoro indigenes, on the other hand took to the streets same day protesting the none implementation of the reports and resolutions of the Constituted Committee on boundary adjustment in the disputed land between the two communities.

It was gathered that the two Isoko communities have been at loggerheads for some time following a lingering boundary dispute that has defied all efforts deployed to resolve it.

The leadership of Oleh community had accused Ozoro people of being behind the gruesome murdered of 12 persons on October 12, 2020 on a farmland in Oleh, an allegation which had since been refuted by the former President General of Ozoro, Nicholas Areh.

Areh had denied the involvement of his community in the killing, noting that Oleh natives were only fanning the embers of war with frivolous allegations as the farmland where the natives were found dead was not in contention.

The protest which started around 7:00 am caused serious gridlock along the busy Ughelli-Asaba-Ozoro Road, leaving motorists and commuters stranded.

Some motorist have to detoured to alternative routes to avoid running into the protesters from both communities.

Some of the protesters in Oleh who spoke with our correspondent called for a thorough investigation into the murder.

They said, “Amidst all provocative actions of the Ozoro people, Oleh had always sought for peace”.

They called on President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Inspector-General of Police, the state police commissioner and Director-General of the State Security Service (aka Department of State Services), to intensify efforts in fishing out those behind the killing and bring them to justice to serve as a deterrent to others.