Policemen from A-Division Ughelli, Delta State, recovered a locally made gun from the monarch of troubled Evwerni Kingdom, HRM Oghenekevwe Kumane, a few hours after the younger brother of immediate past Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Engr Sam Adjogbe, was shot and killed.

Three days after the gruesome murder of the 34-year-old Sylvester Adjogbe at his family compound in Evwerni, the police, like in two previous killings in the community, has not made any arrest, while those accused of having a hand in the dastardly act are walking freely in the community.

It would be recalled that trouble started at Evwerni on Wednesday afternoon, July 1, after a failed attempt by the police to arrest one suspect fingered in June 20 attempted assassination of Engr Samuel Adjogbe along the East/West road close to the community.

It was gathered that some youths from the community who were allegedly mobilized by the monarch prevented police officers from State Criminal Investigation Department, Asaba, led by one John Agbajie, from arresting the suspect, one Atiri Stephen following Adjogbe’s petition.

The traditional ruler of the community had allegedly ordered the local vigilant and some of his loyalists to attack any relatives of Engr Samuel Adjogbe after the police had been stopped from arresting suspect, an incident that led to the death of Sylvester Adjogbe who was killed at his father’s house.

However, in a new twist, the police stated in their report that the locally made gun was handed over to them by the community king, HRM Oghenekevwe Kumane, who alleged that the gun was recovered from Omamuyovwi Akpuruekpo, one of those injured in the attack and currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital at Ughelli.

According to the police incident report dated July 01, 2020, men from SCID Asaba led by ASP John Agbajie arrived Evwreni community on investigation and the team was assisted by a patrol team from A-Division, Ughelli, but on arrival at the community, “the team could not locate their suspect, however, they were confronted by a protest on their way out of the community.

“Immediately the team left the community I received a distress call from the vigilante Chairman Evwreni that there is a clash in his community and immediately eye dispatched two teams mine and two teams from Safe Delta upon arrival of the police teams, the king of Evwreni handed over a locally made gun and a suspect with multiple injuries to the head.”

The report added that it later received information that one Sylvester a younger brother to Engr Adjogbe was killed during the clash, adding that “while recording statement of the suspect handed over by the king, one Omamus Akporuekpo ^m^ x he made a confessional statement that x he collected the locally made gun from the deceased at the scene before the community arrested him.”

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya, when contacted confirmed “that one locally made gun was recovered,” and that the police is still investigating the incident.

Reacting to the police report, Mr Lucky Adjogbe, elder brother to the slain Sylvester, accused the police of being economical with the truth. According to him, “if the police from A-Division in Ughelli is alleging that the locally made gun which was handed over to the king belongs to the deceased, who killed my brother, or did him shot himself?”

He further said: “We are calling on the Inspector General of Police and Commissioner of Police (CP) Delta State Police Command, Mr Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa, investigate the circumstance leading to the murder of my younger brother who is in his prime on the order of the king.

“We know that we will not get justice from the police in A-Division at Ughelli, because they are more like an interested party in this case and the crisis at Evwreni. Are the police saying that they are not aware that our brother was shot dead by one Kelly Omojugheri on the order of the king, who instructed him to shot him because he is one of Adjogbe’s son?

“Now they are coming up with a phony narrative that the young man who was attacked by the same people who killed our brother, who sister Edijala recently cried out that his life is in danger following a visit to the hospital where he was receiving treatment by a former lawmaker, is the one that handed over the gun to the king?

“Since the police are quick the spinout this narrative to shield the real culprit who is the mastermind of the attempted assassination of Engr Samuel Adjogbe on June 20, 2020 and the murder of Sylvester by blaming a soft target, the police should do well to produce the killer of our brother and ensure that justice is served.”

CP Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa had on May 6, 2020, waded into the communal crisis rocking Evwreni following the disbandment of the local security outfits in the kingdom.

The CP at a stakeholders’ meeting in his office at Asaba charged the warring factions to work together in the overall interest of the kingdom. Major stakeholders at the meeting included the monarch, Ovie of Evwreni kingdom, HRM Oghenekevwe Kumane; Odion-Esiri of Evwreni kingdom, High Chief Godsgrace Amrophe; President-General, Evwreni Clan Improvement Union, Mr Bright Adjogbe; Ughelli Police Area Commander, ACP Lawan Shinkafi; DPO, A-Division Ughelli, CSP Kelvin Zuokomor; Ughelli North Council Chairman; and Mr Godwin Adode.

The meeting which was at the instance of the Commissioner of Police, after efforts by the Ughelli Police Area Commander and Ughelli Council Chairman failed to yield the desired result of resolving the crisis which started in mid-March.

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