Military, Urhobo Stakeholders in Talks – Dafinone

Efforts to intensify to secure the liberation of the Ewu-Okuama community leaders who have been detained by the Nigerian military for almost a year after the killings of 17 troops on the peace mission reported to Okuama, the area of the South Ughelli Regional Government, in early 2024.

Senator Ede Dafinone, who represented the Delta Central Senatorial District, revealed this during the radio program monitored in Warri on Sunday.

It will be remembered that between 18 and 20 August 2024, the military arrested several Okuama leaders, including Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Mr. Julius Oghoroko, Bpk. They are still detained without trial.

Dafinone condemned their sustainable detention “without formal accusations for about a year” and renewed calls for their unconditional liberation or for them to be charged before a competent court.

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“Efforts to secure the release of our people at this time in captivity have taken place,” he said. “This is not only my office work, but also a number of senior figures in the state of Delta-including several Urhobo leaders based abroad-who are committed to ensuring that these people are released or officially charged in an open court.”

Senator emphasized that the problem remains a top priority. “Families continue to relate to me, and we guide them in their temporary approach, in turn, providing support to us. I can confirm that my office is related to the Nigerian Army and the judicial system to find ways to complete the situation. Our purpose is simple: to secure the release of our people from detention.”

He revealed that one of the prisoners had died in detention. “We urge the authorities to release his body to his family so that he can be given the right burial,” he said.

Dafinone stressed that all stakeholders, including the Governor of the State of Delta and other leading Urhobo leaders, worked together. “We did not sleep because of the fate of our brothers who were detained by our brothers and sisters for more than a year now. But this is not a problem used for politics or to print cheap political points, as some people want. We talk about human life -our brothers and sisters.”