Worried by the lingering clashes between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in Warri South West and Udu local government areas of Delta State, respectively, the apex socio-cultural group in Urhobo land, Urhobo Progress Union, has appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to take a decisive step to stop the killings resulting from the violence.
President General of the UPU, Chief Moses Taiga, who spoke after the inaugural meeting of the new UPU executives in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state, said it was high time the state government did something about the crises and put an end to the incessant killings going in both communities.
The crisis between OgbeIjoh in Warri South West Local Government Area and Aladja in Udu Local Government Area of the state over a boundary dispute has been raging for some years now and has led to the loss of lives in both communities.
Barely one week after being sworn into office as UPU President General, Taiga said they could no longer fold their arms while innocent citizens continue to lose their lives over a boundary dispute that could have been resolved long ago.
He said apart from calling on the state government to take the necessary and urgent steps, the UPU executive has also set up a committee that would go to both communities to seek ways of resolving the lingering crisis once and for all.
Taiga said, “We have set up a committee to immediately look into the matter and we are calling on the state government to also take the necessary steps, because there is no more time to waste.
Whatever committee that was set up by government over this crisis, it is about time that results started coming out.
We have also set up our own committee to go to both communities to look at the root cause of the crisis.”
The UPU President-General also called on the warring communities to sheath their swords and tow the path of peace, saying that the killings going on in both communities was not the solution to the dispute.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Police Command has arrested and detained about seven leaders of Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area in connection with the bloodletting among the Ijaw and Aladja communities.
Those being held include the chairman of Ogbe-Ijoh, Alex Akemotubo; secretary, Godwin Eneghan and Youth President, Edwin Aken. Also in custody of the police is an octogenarian, Chief Santors Emmontoghan, who is the representative of the Pere of Isaba. Others are Henry Ofoleyo; Austin Deinfegha and Moses Ogugu.
