TENSION IN DELTA AS MILITARY ARREST OGULAGHA COMMUNITY CHAIRMAN

• Two days after, whereabout of Chairman still unknown

• As community shut down over protest

OGULAGHA-There have been reported case of tension in Ogulagha Community, the headquarters of Ogulagha Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State following the whisking away of the community chairman, Capt. Solomon Prebor on Monday by the Nigerian Army.

Confirming the incident, Mr. Tony Temewei, Vice Chairman of the community disclosed to Gbaramatu Voice Newspaper that the soldiers invaded Ogulagha community on Monday when the chairman was allegedly briefing members of the community on his Abuja meeting with the Inspector General of police over what he described as internal dispute.

According to him, the soldiers invaded Ogulagha while the chairman of the community, Capt. Solomon Prebor was briefing chiefs, elders, women and youths on his Abuja meeting, stressing that it was unusual as they begin to see the presence of the military within the premises of the community town hall, he alleged that the curiosity by members of the community reveals that the massive military presence was to see the chairman.

In his words: “It was so worrisome to members of Ogulagha community when our chairman was briefing us on his trip, we begin to see the presence of the Army moving around the premises of the town hall, we asked them on the reason for the huge military presence, they insisted that they have orders from above to carry the Chairman to their barrack where a superior boss will interrogate  him, they wanted to even take him during the meeting but we insisted that he is briefing the community and that after the briefing he will see with the said security boss.

“From that morning, the soldiers waited until 2:30pm when the meeting finally ended, they swing into action by escorting the chairman to their base in Ogulagha, we waited, waited and waited, we did not see anyone that would interrogate him until 6:pm that was when they said he has to be taken to the Naval Base at Warri in military gunboat

Narrating the ordeal further, the vice chairman alleged that from the day he was whisked away in a commando like manner by the military, the whereabout of the chairman have continued to remain unknown as efforts by the community’s lawyer to bring him out of detention have proven abortive as he was denied access to the chairman.

He particularly emphasized that not even his community executives that where in Warri were allowed to have access to him.

“We are indeed worried over what might have happened to our community chairman, the entire world must know what is happening in this part of the country where for no established reason, the military would just invade a peaceful community and whisked away its leader without any justification” Temewei said.

Meanwhile, Gbaramatu Voice Newspaper gathered that the community is currently in a heavy protest over the whisking away of their chairman as there is no movement of motorcycle, vehicle, movements of commercial speed boats from Warri to Ogulagha and verse versa have all been shut down with the host of other economically devastating activities all allegedly paralyzed.

It was learnt that the protest to free the community chairman was launched by members of Ogulagha community today.

Commander of NNS Delta, Commodore Joseph Dwunze could not be reached for comment on the latest arrest as he was said to have travelled to Abuja for official assignment.

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