A group in Delta State has alleged that the negligence and insensitivity of the Delta State Government led to the crisis between Okuama and Okolo Communities in Delta State as well as the recent killing of 16 soldiers who were reportedly on a peacekeeping mission.
The No Justice, No Peace Initiative group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen tasked Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to take drastic measures to resolve the crisis which has also led to the destruction of Okuama Community by soldiers on a reprisal attack.
Condemning the gruesome murder of soldiers in the Delta community, the group said, “the Presidency and authority of the Nigeria Army shouldn’t use that as advantages to descend and wrèak havoc on the people Okuama Community”.
“They should interface with the Delta State Government on why they had turned blind eyes to the lïngèring issues between Okuoma and Okoloba Communities.”
The group said there has been an age-long land dispute between the neighbouring communities but rather than resolve the differences between the communities, the government allowed the conflict to fester.
The group alleged, “It’s where avenues are created to allocate hüge amounts for security and are divided among persons in Gòvèrnmènt and community leaders.
“Reasons the government of the day, neglects and allows such conflicts to linger for a period, and in the end, devise a white paper strategy, which is not normally implemented, where monies are allocated to compensate victims and communities, for property/life loss or damages.
”An issue the government could have easily intervened, proffering lasting solutions. These occurrences have always created avenues to allocate public funds for the wröńg reasons, where whooping amounts are dïvèrtèd for personal gains.
“It is quite unfortunate that the men of the Nigeria Army had died in the process of peacekeeping.”