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.

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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.

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Meanwhile, hundreds of residents of Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Council, at the early hours of Thursday, April 5, 2022, also protested over none implementation of the reports and resolutions by the state government.

The peaceful protest, which was led by the leadership of Ozoro Progress Union, the apex body in charge of the administrative duties of Ozoro Kingdom with Hon Chief Miller Akpoili as head, grounded commercial activities in the area.

Speaking with newsmen, the President General of Ozoro Progress Union, Hon Chief Miller Akpoili, said the protest was against the state government none implementation of the reports and resolutions of the Constituted Committee on the boundary adjustment.

He said; “I am very distressed at the manner which the Delta State Government has handled this disputed land between Ozoro and Oleh which has lingered on since last year.

“We have been waiting since May last year for the State Government to brief both communities on the reports and resolution of the Constituted Committee on the boundary adjustment of the disputed land. But till date, we have not gotten any response from the State Government.

“So our request as a Community both involved in the land dispute, is for the State Government to brief us on the reports and resolution of the Committee and let us know our boundary”, he said.

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