Extra-judicial killing: IPDI petitions Chief of Army Staff, demands justice for the deceased Ogulagha youth

By Timi Black

The Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, a foremost Ijaw pressure group has angrily petitioned the Chief of Army Staff over what it described as the extrajudicial killing of one Endurance Oweiye Kalaepele in Ogulagha community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The group is demanding that the Chief of Army Staff should produce the soldiers that were responsible for the killing of the law-abiding snail hunter in the community without further delay.

The petition which dated 1st July 2022 authored by Ogedegbe & Ogedegbe law firm which a copy of it was sent to Congress correspondent said the incident occurred on the 27th June 2022 at about 9 pm.

The petition reads: “We are a firm of legal practitioners whose services have been duly obtained by the registered trustees of the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative (IPDI) on whose instructions we hereby write and deliver this letter to you

“It is our brief that one Endurance Oweiye an indigene of Ogulagha community of Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state alongside five others as snail hunters had gone in search of a snail on the 27th of June 2022 at above 9 pm within the adjoining forest of the Forcados Terminal.

“That while in search of snail within the areas adjoining the Forcados terminal as part of their mounting sentry on the terminal who attacked them without the slightest provocation only have been shot, killing the said Endurance Oweiye Kalaepele at the spot

“It is said that the deceased alongside the five other community indigenes while on the snail hunting were accosted by military officers who without any act of provocation shot at the said Endurance twice resulting in his death.

“That the extra-judicial murder of the said Endurance resulted in serious uproar in the community leading to a rampage in the community against the continuous stay of military officers in the community.

“That the killing was without justification as the deceased and his colleagues were unarmed and successfully arrested before the soldiers shot at them and killed the said Endurance.

“This is one case too many hence the petitioners now demand a detailed investigation into the extra-judicial death of the said Endurance Oweiye Kalaepele with a view of ensuring justice is served,” they added.