Military Ferries Wanted Delta Monarch To Abuja
The Military authorities have reportedly flown the embattled Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo in Ughelli South local government area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, Urhukpe 1, allegedly involved in the gruesome killing of 17 military officers in Okuama community under his kingdom, to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja for interrogation.
The monarch, who is from an Urhobo Community, had surrendered himself to the Delta State Police Command in Asaba on Thursday after being declared wanted by the military over the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama Community and was received by the Police Commissioner, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi.
Competent sources hinted that the Royal father was grilled for hours after the police handed him over to the Army authorities. After that, he was seen being escorted to the Asaba International Airport by the Commanding Officer, 63 Brigade Nigeria Army Asaba, and his team.
The sources said that accompanied by a combined team of military officers and the police as well as personal aides, the Ewu-Urhobo monarch, later boarded a commercial aircraft and the plane departed the tarmac of Asaba Airport at about 9:10 am to Abuja.
The Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Bright Edafe, who confirmed that the Traditional Ruler was handed over to the military, did not give further details on where he was being held or possible movement out of Asaba.
The Police Spokesman, while responding to a question by journalists, said; “Yes, I can confirm to you that the wanted Traditional Ruler has been handed over to military authorities. He is no longer in our custody. The handover process was concluded this (Friday) morning.”
On Thursday, March 28, 2024, HRM Ikolo had in a press conference told journalists that he was innocent of the accusations leveled against him before giving himself up to the police.
At the media briefing to distance himself from the killings of the military personnel, the monarch said; “I am shocked that my name as the kingdom’s monarch will appear in the list of wanted persons. I have no hand in the killings, I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody, it is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic.
“It is a serious crime against humanity and they need to look at the appropriate places and do a thorough investigation to know all those who have committed this and bring them to book and let justice prevail.
“I am not a party to this and as I have said earlier, the state government is aware of the turbulence I have been going through and as I speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently just before these happenings”.
