Communal war: DICC blames Okowa on endless killings in Ogbe-Ijoh/Aladja communities

By Timi Black

A Delta State based rights group, the Delta Ijaw Comrade Community, DICC, has blamed His excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State for lacking ‘political will’ to stop killing and destruction of property between the waring Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in the state.

This was made available to Congress correspondent in a press statement issued by its President general Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, on Tuesday.

The DICC president said the Governor who is the Chief security officer of the state was not doing enough to stop the killing of innocent citizens in both Communities, adding that the protection of lives and properties in the state ought to be his first priority.

The statement reads: “March 24, 2016 the war between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh reincarnated under the watch of Okowa as Governor of the state, and since that time till date, it is over five (5) years but no proactive steps has been taken to restore peace in the area.

“The DICC believes in peaceful resolution of issues as the Ijaws and Urhobos are one, hence there won’t be any need to fight among ourselves over a piece of land.

“Our Governor cannot claim not to be aware of the massive killings that had happened since 2016 to 2021, a scenario that has seen the lose of lives from both communities, at each strike, Delta State is losing future leaders”, Benebai adduced.

“If all Deltans are looking forward to our dear Governor for his directives, what then is the cost for the Governor to end this crisis. Setting up a boundary committee is simply not enough as we need our Governor to personally act on this matter, enough is enough for the killings.

“We are tempted to ask on what could bother the Governor of a state more than when his people are in crisis under his watch, is the fight between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities bigger than our Governor to settle?, the group queries.

“Despite his activities across the state, it will be a very bad legacy if our dear Governor is unable to resolve this matter before living office as Governor of the state.

“Our worry is that Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities have been in war for the six (6) years of his leadership in the state as Governor from May 29,2015 till date, in spite of the many applauds.

“We make bold to state that if the crisis is between his people in Delta North, he may have find a way to resolve it long ago.

“His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan, former Governor of Delta State handed over a peaceful state to you and now there has been crises, shortly after you became the Governor of our state. Governor Okowa ought to be the best person to resolve this lingering age longed communal battle because he is neither an Ijaw nor an Urhobo”, DICC lamented.

Congress recalled that Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja had been in communal crisis since 1996, a crisis that had resulting to massive killings of indigenes and burning down of residence in both communities.