By Agbubi Ejovwoke
Three persons have been hospitalised following a crisis in Otor-Ogor community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, which reportedly left public infrastructure and private property damaged.
The President-General of the community, Comrade Emmanuel UK Tobi Edirin, on Monday appealed to the state government to intervene, alleging that protesters attacked him and members of his family after a disagreement involving the traditional ruler of Ogor Kingdom, HRM Okiemute Onajite Igere I, his wife and his uncle, Chief Dennis Aboro.
Speaking to journalists, Edirin urged residents to remain calm and avoid retaliatory attacks, insisting that his intervention in the dispute was aimed at preventing a breakdown of peace.
He said the traditional ruler had earlier asked him to intervene in a disagreement involving his uncle and wife. Edirin said he subsequently visited Aboro with seven elders, including the community spokesperson, to appeal to him to stay out of disputes between the royal couple.
According to him, the meeting ended peacefully, with Aboro agreeing to block the wife’s telephone number to prevent further complaints about the monarch from reaching him.
Edirin said he later contacted the traditional ruler to clarify reports that Aboro had stabbed him during a disagreement over a television set.
He said the monarch denied being stabbed, explaining that a struggle occurred while he was attempting to carry a plasma television, resulting in damage to the screen and possibly a minor scratch.
The community leader said he believed the matter had been settled until a group of protesters allegedly gathered on Thursday evening, carrying cutlasses and other dangerous objects and chanting songs demanding Aboro’s removal and death.
He alleged that some of the protesters were from neighbouring communities, while others were residents of Otor-Ogor.
Edirin said he and some elders attempted to calm the situation, but he was advised to leave when tensions escalated.
He alleged that the protesters later blocked his vehicle at a roundabout, pelted it with stones and attacked him and members of his family, leaving his younger brother and others injured.
The PG further alleged that the violence resulted in damage to his vehicle, streetlights, parts of a beautified roundabout and property at his residence.
He said he reported the incident to security authorities, adding that military personnel later intervened and appealed for calm. However, he alleged that protesters returned to his residence the following morning and damaged his gate and other property.
Edirin said the traditional ruler denied instigating the protest when contacted about the incident.
“This is not a matter between the community leadership and the traditional ruler, nor is it a dispute between the community leadership and Chief Aboro. My intervention was purely to ensure peace,” he said.
He called on the Delta State Government and relevant security agencies to investigate the incident, establish what happened and ensure that anyone found responsible was held accountable.
The community leader also urged youths, women, elders and other residents to reject revenge attacks, warning that further violence could endanger innocent people.
He said peaceful dialogue and government intervention were necessary to resolve the dispute and restore normalcy to the community.
