17 Soldiers: Wanted Delta Monarch Surrenders To Police

By Stephen Asaba-ase

Following the wanted declaration of 8 suspects in connection with the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State, the traditional ruler of Ewu-Urhobo kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Clement Ikolo, Urukpe 1, who is among the eight wanted persons has surrendered himself to the Nigeria police.

Congress learnt that the monarch surrendered himself at Delta State Police Headquarters in Asaba at 9:20pm on Thursday.
However, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mr. Olufemi Abaniwonda had confirmed his presence with the police to newsmen.

Speaking at the interview Abaniwonda reiterated: “Yes, I can confirm to you that the traditional ruler is with us. He surrendered himself to us at police headquarters in Asaba this (Thursday) night. We are going to hand him over to the military, which declared him wanted.”

Meanwhile, the traditional ruler, HRM Clement Ikolo, Urukpe 1, who had ascended the throne in controversial circumstances on November 16, 2023, was number seven in the list released by DHQ on Thursday morning.

It was learned that the Okuama community, where the bloodbath claiming the lives of the 17 soldiers, including the Commanding Officer of 181 Batallion of the Nigerian Army, Bomadi, Headquarters of Bomadi LGA of Delta state, Lt. Col. A. H. Ali, Major S.D. Shafa, Major D.E. Obi and Captain U. Zakari, took place is among 17 communities in Ewu Kingdom under the traditional authority of the wanted monarch.

The director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba revealed this during the biweekly update on military operations across the country yesterday, in Abuja.
The Defence headquarters stated that Nigeria as nation must never allow the incident that occurred in Delta State – which led to the killing of 17 soldiers that were buried on March 27, 2024 – to ever happen again, noting that the armed forces are forces for stability that employ both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to achieve the desired end state.

He, however, called on elders and community leaders to reveal the identity of the wanted persons and ensure they are arrested.
“The banner of eight wanted persons involved with the killing including a woman is hereby released. Accordingly, it is necessary to state that citizens are our first line of intelligence and must rise to the occasion in honour of their nation.”
The wanted persons are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur (president general of the community), Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (a.k.a. Amagbein), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe(Monarch), Reuben Baru and Igoli Ebi.