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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The traditional ruler of Ewu-Urhobo kingdom in Delta State, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukevwe, has reported to the police, hours after the military declared him wanted over the murder of 17 soldiers in Okuama community, in Bomadi Local Government Area of the state.
Delta State Police Command spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this to TheCable on Friday, adding that Oghenerukevwe turned himself in on Thursday.
“We have already handed him over to the military, they were the ones that declared him wanted,” Edafe said.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had on Thursday declared Oghenerukevwe and seven other persons wanted in connection to the murder of the 17 army personnel.
Those declared wanted include Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, and Reuben Baru.
Before turning himself in, the monarch released a statement to plead his innocence.
“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 thorough investigation to know all those who have committed this and bring them to book and let justice prevail.
“I am not a party to this and like 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,” the monarch said.
Following the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be brought to justice.
