Delta monarch wanted over killing of 17 soldiers surrenders to police

The King of Ewu kingdom, Ikolo Clement, one of the suspects declared wanted by the Nigerian military in connection with the death of personnel in Delta State has surrendered himself to the authorities.

He was among the eight persons declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters over the March 14 killing of four officers and 13 soldiers at Okuama Community in Delta State.

Other persons declared wanted by the military are the President-General of Ewu Kingdom, Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki; a traditional ruler, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe; Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major- Gen. Edward Buba, who addressed journalists on Thursday in Abuja, urged Nigerians to assist the military with credible information that would lead to the arrest of the wanted persons.

The monarch in a statement before submitting himself to the police, expressed shock at his inclusion in the list of wanted persons.

READ ALSO: DHQ reveals identities, pictures of soldiers killed in Delta community

He said: “I am very surprised that my name as the monarch of the kingdom 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 books to 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 this happenings.

“To invite those who are fighting me in the kingdom to reconcile the differences and allow me to go into the kingdom and start to rule as the monarch of the place.

“I have not been able to set up anything, I have not been able to set up my traditional council, I have done nothing in the kingdom.

“So I barely know anything right now, I have no information, I know nothing I am only just in the process of setting up a structure to enable me to rule in the kingdom.”

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