•No report of death—POLICE SPOKESMAN

There is palpable tension in Ewu community in Delta State over the death of one August Joseph Obiuwevwi in the violence that broke out over who becomes the Ovie of Ewu kingdom in defiance of the choice of HRM.

Bernard Awarieta, who came first at the election organised by the Ahavwa Kingmakers family in May 2021, and was subsequently sworn in traditionally.

Trouble started, according to one of the community leaders, who craved anonymity due to fear of the attack, when one individual (names withheld), was alleged to be the choice of the state government.

Subsequent upon the emergence of Awarieta, the source stated, the Kingmakers’’ family performed the traditional rites confirming him the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom while they awaited the issuance of the staff of office by the Peoples Democratic Party-led administration.

Another community leader and member Ewu Urhobo Clan Development Union, who doesn’t want his name in print, said the community leadership and the Ahavwa Kingmakers family wrote to the immediate past government to intimate them and exchanged ‘assuring correspondences,’ until forces within and outside “chose to promote the man who came third in the contest.”

One of the eyewitnesses held that the “government candidate” on Saturday, September 9, 2023 had led a group of men in police uniform and thugs to storm the Kingdom to coerce the kingmakers into signing a memorandum against the position of the entire clan.

“It was in the process of resistance from the youths of the community, who questioned the rationale behind forcing the kingmakers to endorse the candidate of the governor in writing that caused the anarchy occasioned by sporadic shooting and harassment of residents who gathered in disbelief and before long August Joseph Obiuwevwi was killed in cold blood.”

However, when Vanguard contacted ASP Bright Edafe, spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, he said “The Command was contacted over the unrest in the community and on getting there some miscreants attacked the police team with weapons destroying Police vehicles.

“We also later discovered that there was an audio clip circulating from which we learnt they unknowingly shot themselves and made away with the suspect and even then he had not died. So, I cannot confirm any death because nobody has reported any death nor have we seen the body of the suspect. The Police got to know all these from the audio clip that leaked from their camp.” (Vanguard)

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