Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori on Tuesday met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja over the killing of 16 soldiers in Okuama community, Bomadi Local Government Area of his state.
The governor, who spoke to journalists after the meeting with the president condemned the killing and said all efforts are now being made to apprehend those responsible for the act.
He said though the general atmosphere in his state has been peaceful, there’s some tension between the Okuama and Okoloba communities which warranted a peace meeting earlier in February where the two community leaders promised to ensure a peaceful coexistence.
He said: “The two communities in question have been having issues for years. Last month, on the 7th of February, they were invited by the state government where the two communities… agreed to work together and signed (a) peace accord.
“When the unfortunate thing happened it was very sad because Delta State is governed within the tenets of rule of law and decency. So what happened is not in line with what we are doing in Delta State because I have promised Deltans that I’m going to be governor for all Deltans and we have been enjoying peace…
“So I decided to come here to brief Mr President of all the things (that)we have been doing to maintain peace and Mr President has assured me that he’s in suppprt of the peace. And we both condemned the killing of the officers and the soldiers because they’re there on peace mission.”
Oborevwori said his government is trying everything within it powers to manage the situation and assure that there won’t be no attack on innocent community members in the quest to bring the criminals to book.
He said: “We want to assure everyone that there will be no more attacks on the villages. If there’s anyone that happened in the past… We know that those who are culpable will be brought to book. Innocent citizens will not be attacked.
“…The issue of whether a place has been burnt down or people have been killed, it has happened but what is the way forward?
“The forward are two ways; the people that have been killed, the officers and soldiers we must see how we can find succour for the family and given(give them) a befitting burial and also the community, anything that has happened in the community in the past will not happen again, we assure them but the people who are culpable will be brought to book.
He said he hasn’t been able to see the Okuama community leaders because the place has been deserted and that he has been getting full briefing from the military. He said a meeting of the traditional council and all parties involved will be conveyed this week.
When asked if he has not been relying on one-sided narration? He confirmed that though he has only visited Bomadi and has not been to Okuama afyer the attack because of the difficult terrain, he said he had been in touch with the community members before now which led to the February peace meeting.
He added that after meeting with all the security heads in the state on Monday, it was agreed that no innocent person will suffer any form of attack or loss as a result of the killing of the soldiers while the real culprits will be smoked out.
