Otefe-Oghara crisis escalates as youth burn houses; destroy properties worth millions

By Akpos Oghenetega,—————-

 

Tension is currently rising in Ogharefe in Ethiope West local government area of Delta State, as the crisis rocking the community last night took a new twist after some community youths started attacking leaders in the town and shooting randomly and destroying properties worth millions of Naira.

Recall that crisis began on Sunday after a faction said to be opposed to the continuation of the present Community youth wing chairman attacked the member representing Ethiope West local government area in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Eriatakhe Ibori-Suenu, who was hosting a peace meeting in her grandfather’s house in Otefe-Oghara, destroying cars, shooting two with many sustaining injuries with the House of Assembly member narrowly escaping lynching.

The youths numbering about 30 were said to have taken to the streets of the community on Monday morning allegedly parading with arms and grenade, barricading roads in the process.

However, the crisis was said to have taken a turn in the night when a faction of the youths started attacking some of the community leaders’ houses and properties, they accused of being loyal to the other.

Senior Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on special duties, Chief Duncan Egwere, one of the Chiefs whose house and cars were set ablaze last night, said that about 7 pm yesterday his house was attacked by some persons.

According to him, he said he was outside, when he heard gunshots and from where he took cover, “I saw them attacking my gate, they set the gate on fire, they burnt my car and part of my house, they are youths I know in this community”.

He, however, refused to lay the blame on anyone “I don’t know why my house and car was burnt, this place is entirely different from the quarter the crisis is happening,” Egwere said.

Another Chief in the kingdom, Chief Lucky Akoh Atuma whose houses and cars were also touched, said that the daughter of a prominent leader was behind the crisis “she wants to impose her relative on us after his tenure has ended, and look at what they have done to my houses and cars” he broke down in tears.

Students of the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara were said to have fled from there after an unconfirmed report alleged that one of them was shot “A girl was shot in the leg last night and we all fled for our lives” a girl who called herself Sophia, and claim to have fled from her hostel this morning.

She said a platform for lecturers was said to have informed the teachers to stay away from the school for fear of insecurity, a message that triggered students to head home.

Meanwhile, the member representing Ethiope West constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, has called for calm and urged her supporters not to carry out any reprisal attack after she was attacked on Sunday by hoodlums while trying to settle rifts amongst youths in Otefe community of Oghara.

The lawmaker and daughter to ex-Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, who spoke shortly after the attack on the phone, stated that the dastardly act was highly condemnable.

While tasking security operatives to fish out the hoodlums that attacked her, she said that they are known faces in the community.

She also warned against reprisal attacks that will further cause mayhem and loss of lives and properties, adding that contrary to reports, no life was lost as being peddled on social media platforms.