The Ukoko R’Ivie R’Urhobo (Council of Urhobo Traditional Rulers) and Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) worldwide have jointly urged the Delta State government to establish an Independent Truth Commission to thoroughly investigate the Okuama/Okoloba crisis and other conflicts along the Forcados Rivers.
This call, among seven demands, arose from a meeting led by HRM Emmanuel Ekemejewa Sideso, Abe 1, JP. OON, the Ovie of Kingdom, and Chief Ese Gam Owe, UPU President-General, at the Uvwie Palace in Effurun, Delta State.
The royal fathers expressed deep concern over the recent violence, notably the tragic events in the Okuama community in Ughelli South LGA, where seventeen officers/soldiers lost their lives, and subsequent reprisal attacks by the Nigerian Army resulting in further casualties and displacement. They extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and called for an end to hostilities, emphasizing the futility of violence as a solution.
The statement also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and urged Ijaw Traditional Rulers to collaborate with their Urhobo counterparts to foster enduring peace in the Forcados Rivers region. Despite recent unrest, the Urhobo people reiterated their commitment to peace and harmony with their Ijaw neighbors, affirming their longstanding peaceful coexistence.
