Okuama: Wanted community leader, Ekpekpo, two others arrested in Sapele

Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, the President General of Ewu Kingdom, who was previously declared wanted, has been arrested by men in military uniforms at an undisclosed location in Sapele on Sunday night.

His current whereabouts remain unknown.

Additionally, Chief Belvis Adogbo and Dennis Akugbaye, two other leaders associated with the Okuama community, were reportedly detained on Monday morning by armed men in plain clothes at various locations in Ughelli. According to an anonymous Okuama leader, these arrests may be linked to the March incident that resulted in the deaths of 17 military personnel.

The Okuama leader expressed confusion over the arrests, speculating that the officials involved might be operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). The detentions come at a time when peace was gradually returning to the troubled community, with the Delta State Government planning to resettle displaced residents.

Despite the gravity of the situation, no official statements have been made by security agencies. A senior police officer mentioned that they were unaware of the development.

It is important to recall that in March 2024, the Okuama community was completely razed by soldiers of the Nigerian Army in a reprisal attack after 17 military personnel were killed by unknown gunmen near the community.

The destruction left the agrarian community in ruins, with every building, including hospitals and schools, reduced to rubble.

At the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of those arrested remain unknown.