A community leader in Delta State, Olorogun Sleek Oshare, has revealed that it was a land dispute escalated into the tragic killing of military personnel in the state.
Oshare disclosed this while speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He divulged details surrounding the incident that resulted in the death of 17 officers deployed for a peacekeeping mission in the Okuama community of Delta State last week.
Oshare noted that the military personnel were in the area as part of efforts to resolve a land dispute between Okuama and a neighbouring community.
He made it clear that there was a clash between two families and it escalated due to the perceived military connections of one of the communities involved.
The community leader pointed out that the pressure and tensions were more pronounced in Okuama, which lacked representation to fight for their interests.
He noted that the absence of mention of the other community, Okoloba, in the narrative, suggesting that fear might have caused them to retreat from the spotlight.
Oshare debunked the reports that the conflict was a mere dispute between individuals and called for thorough investigation to unearth the truth behind the incident.
“The quarrel was just a land dispute between one family and another family and land disputes happen over and over again.
“One community felt that the other had a military connection and they were being pressured unnecessarily. The pressure is more on Okuoma and they don’t have anybody to speak for them.
“In the whole narrative, you don’t hear the name of the other community. Where is Okoloba? In the last two days, Okoloba has disappeared because they are also afraid.
“Sometimes, it is made to look as if it were an ethnic thing. It was just a dispute between individuals and Okoloba, which seems to have more connections.
“The families that were involved in the dispute are highly placed. Until we go into the real investigation, the truth will not come out.
“It is then the nation will come out to sympathize with the children, pregnant women, and old people who could have lost their lives in the random shootings,” he said.
Oshare called for restraint in assigning blame, warning against incitement of authorities against the people of Okuama.
He noted the need for careful consideration and factual analysis before making accusations.
“At this point, we should be careful whom we point fingers at, there might be some people who want to incite the authorities against the people of Okuama,” he added.
While responding to the killings, the Federal Government, Delta State, and military authorities have vowed to identify and arrest the perpetrators of the attack.
