Ugborodo: Warri women urge  military, police ,  governments to secure Ugborodo

By Jimitota Onoyume

A prominent advocacy group in Delta state, Voice of Warri kingdom Women Initiative , VWWI,  has decried the sad state of insecurity in oil rich Ugborodo ( Excravos ) , urging the Chief of Army staff, the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to take decisive steps to secure lives and properties in the area.

President of the group Mrs. Vivian Mene told  Vanguard that several weeks after a young man , Mr Emiko Onuwaje lost his life in Ogidigben  during a chaotic atmosphere,  peace had evaded the entire Ugborodo communities.

She  recalled that a few days after the death of the late Onuwaje some persons allegedly invaded Ogidigben, a part of  Ugborodo, and set  a house belonging to a Chief of Warri kingdom, his car and other valuables in the compound ablaze .

Continuing, she alleged that those behind the  arson attack  had placed the entire  Ugborodo community under siege.

She said the ugly development had caused many residents to flee the area for safety,  pleading that the Delta state governor , Sheriff Oborevwori should also  take steps to restore law and order in the hitherto peaceful community .

She said : ” We the Voice of Warri Kingdom Women Initiative  are passionately appealing to the Federal , Delta State Governments, the  military , police and other security agencies to urgently come to secure lives and properties in Ogidiben, Akpakpa, Madangho, Ajudayibo, and Ode-Ugborodo communities of Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta state.

 “With adequate security presence, the youth, women, and elderly who fled  because of the recent crisis  could begin to return home. We don’t want war anymore; we want peace to enable our people to  return. The federal and state governments must help us with security to protect lives and properties in these communities”, the group pleaded.

” Those beating the drums of war in Ugborodo should be called to order. Ugborodo wants lasting peace. Our governor , we have been begging for days now that we don’t want war in  Ode Ugborodo and the other communities that make up Ugborodo. Our governor we are begging you as women of the Warri kingdom, we don’t need war in Ugborodo.  We don’t need bloodbath in Ugborodo. Our governor  with street credibility please we need security in Ugborodo. Our Chief was at the palace to be decorated as a Chief in December  last year when they attacked his house and burnt everything there, including the vehicle in the place. We have calmed him and the youths of the area down. Now we are also begging the governor of the state and the federal government to secure Ugborodo for everyone”, the women pleaded.

They also urged the state government to unmask those behind the death of Mr Onuwaje. ” We want the government to investigate the circumstances of his death and bring those whose actions  led to the death  to book “,they added.

Continuing, the women said there was no visible presence of soldiers  in the area, pleading that the army and other security agencies should make  their impact felt in the areas.

“No army in Ugborodo, Ogidigben. We want them to come and  secure  the area for now. This is the latest information so we are begging the military to move into the area “, Mene said.

The army in a recent press statement about two weeks ago  announced that it had moved into Ugborodo to secure the area. But the women at the briefing yesterday said the presence of soldiers was  not felt in the community, urging the army to be more visible.

Speaking  on the recent protest by some members of the community against alleged marginalization of the area by Chevron on matters of employment and empowerment Mrs Mene said all negotiations to be initiated by Chevron towards resolving the issues raised should be at the palace of the Olu of Warri.

Ugborodo widely known as Excravos is a major host community to Chevron Nigeria limited.

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