Women protest against the invasion of their community by unknown gunmen in Delta

By Akpos Oghenetega,

 

Women of Arunwhun community, a predominantly fishing community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, took to the streets on Sunday to protest the continued invasion of their community by unknown men who always come through the creeks.

The women called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency come to their help as the men who claim to be a member of one Fregene family whom they claim had been harassing and intimidating youths in the area for some time now.

The protesters who had gathered at the Ukawa Cherubim and Seraphim church in the community before protesting around the area claim that the incessant harassment of their kinsmen by the men who always invade the communities in guns  have left many of them traumatised and ” we are finding it difficult to cope.”

 

Arunwhun community and some parts of Otonyasere community has been a subject of dispute for some time now with the Okpes and Itsekiris laying claim to the territory.

Last year the Delta state government was said to have sent a fact-finding team to the area of dispute with result eagerly been awaited, however, journalists who visited the area observed that fishing activities, which used to be the major source of income for residents in the area, had died down.

“We no more go to fishing or to the bush to get firewood, they harass us daily demanding for levies of all sort from us,” Madam yellow who was in tears told this reporter

The women were drawn from different homes in the community also alleged that the community is gradually becoming a den for kidnappers because of its proximity to the river saying “twice they have come to drop kidnapped victim’s here”

The Councillor for Ward 8 in Sapele local government area, Hon Ovo Abeke told Advocate.ng how youths protested to his place “they came to my place here in Sapele and I tried to calm them down and I am still doing so, but how long, this is in my ward and as the Councillor, I have been trying to avoid bloodshed, they have given an ultimatum of 7 days if the government does not wave in, I have no choice than to mobilize boys to defend our fatherland, we know those that are involved, let them stay off our land or the worst will happen”

The former Sapele-Okpe community youth chairman also appealed to the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the Orodje of Okpe, His Royal Highness, His Royal Majesty, Major Gen F.A Mujakperuo (Rtd) CFR, Orhue 1, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom and the chairman of the local government area, Chief Eugene Inoaghan as a matter of Urgency to come to their aid to avoid bloodshed”

He laments the fact that the activities of the men who sometimes visit in the night, has now become a source of tension for the residents, as everybody now lives and moves in fear, with some residents fleeing their homes and seeking cover in the bushes.

One of the community residents, Ijaye Toba told our reporter that despite the repeated calls to the chairman of Sapele Okpe Community, Dr Patrick Akamuvba, and Chief Eugene Inoaghan, no help as come “they barely pick calls and even if they do, they will yell at you, we voted for the PDP, now they have left us to die without response”

 

All attempt to reach out to the LG boss was not successful as repeated calls to his phone line was left unanswered, even when a text message was sent to his phone, he didn’t acknowledge it, same as the Community chairman.