By Frank Efe, Warri
NIGERIA: Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, on Monday morning faced another wave of violence, as armed men in military fatigue reportedly launched a coordinated attack on the village.
Reports that could not be independently confirmed indicated that three persons were killed.
The victims were Ojeh Asah, Uwhubunor James, and Enavwodo Peter.
Community sources said the gunmen arrived in four gunboats and 11 speedboats, and indiscriminately opened fire, killing three youths and causing extensive damage to the beleaguered community.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the attack was launched from neighbouring Okoloba community after conducting aerial surveillance with drones on Sunday.
Okuama and Okolobo, Urhobo and Ijaw communities respectively, had been involved in communal crisis over land ownership and territorial claims.
A local youth, who spoke strictly on condition of anonymity after returning from hiding, said, “We received word around 3 a.m. about 15 gunboats approaching, and we stayed alert until about 6 a.m.,” he said. “As dawn broke, we saw a drone surveying the community. Women fled to the creek for safety, and we heard gunshots as the military began their attack.”
The armed men looted local provision stores, destroyed cassava flour (garri) being processed at the Anglican Church premises, and stole valuable community assets including generators, a Point of Sale (POS) machine, and a sand dredger. They also removed a granite canoe used by villagers.
This attack follows the March 2024 destruction of Okuama, which was razed by soldiers in retaliation for the killing of 17 military personnel near the community.
The previous assault led to the obliteration of homes, schools, and hospitals.
In a related development, community leaders Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mr James Oghoroko, Dennis Okugbaye, Pa Anthony Awhemuria, and Mrs Rita Akpata were detained by the military between August 18-20 and are still held in undisclosed locations.
The Okuama people had filed two lawsuits in the Federal High Court Warri, seeking N200 million for the alleged illegal detentions. The suits are FHC/WR/CS/84/2024 and FHC/WR/85/2024, filed by James Oghorokor and Dennis Okugbaye against the Nigerian Army and other parties.
At the time of filing this report, the military and government authorities were yet to make any official statement concerning the incident.
