Delta State governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has reassured the residents of Okuama of returning to their communities in no distant time.
He gave the assurance after he was finally allowed to visit the community, after the initial rejection by the military authorities a while ago.
The former speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, accompanied by Commander 63 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Unachukwu Ugochukwu, and top government officials, noted that innocent citizens would not be made to suffer for what they know nothing about.
Speaking to journalists at Okuama, Governor Oborevwori said: “We have followed due process in the whole incident. The people have been buried and the King who was detained was released yesterday today I am here to see what happened in the Okuama community.
“The Okuama 17 is something that we didn’t expect to happen because it is against our bargain for peace and security which I promised Deltans that we are going to enhance.
“We have been enjoying peace and security since last year until the 14th of March when the four Army officers and 13 soldiers were murdered.
“They were not just murdered, their bodies were mutilated and we have come here to see what happened.
“Let me again reiterate Mr President’s promise that no innocent person would be victimised and you can see that, from that time till now, there has been no harassment of citizens of this community.
“I have come to see how the innocent people of this community can be reintegrated back with the cooperation of the military.
“We know it’s a big loss to them but we have to follow due process. The Brigade Commander is with us and the newly posted Commander of 181 Battalion, Lt Col Dabo, is also here with us and it’s a great synergy.”
He said his administration was doing a lot to find a solution to the dispute, adding that citizens of Okuama would soon return home.
Continuing, Governor Oborevwori, said: “Let me once again thank Mr President and Commander in Chief, Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Staff for their cooperation so far.
“They have been very supportive and they have kept to their promise that innocent people will not be victimised. I want to assure the people of Okuama that there is no point in running away from your community.
“We are going to bring you back to your community. It’s only those that are involved the military are looking for”.
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