Maroc - VERACITY.COM.NG - A La Une - 13/Sep 13:12

Otulu Elders Reject Claims by "United and Concerned Indigenes" Group

A group of five individuals, claiming to represent the Otulu Ogwashi-Uku community in Aniocha South Local Government Area, has urged the government of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene against alleged land grabs by invaders from Ogwashi-Uku. The group made this appeal during a press briefing in Asaba following a protest march.Speaking on behalf of the "United and Concerned Indigenes of Otulu," Mr. Chukwuma Nwaka accused His Royal Majesty, Obi Ifechukwude, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, of orchestrating efforts to seize ancestral lands belonging to Otulu. He further asserted that Otulu is an autonomous community.In response to these allegations, Barrister Chief Jude Obidi, a chief in Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom categorically refuted the claims, describing them as baseless. He emphasized that Otulu is an integral part of the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom. According to Obidi, the so-called protest involved only five individuals, none of whom are from Otulu, and dismissed the demonstration as a misguided effort to escalate tensions. According to Chief Obidi, these individuals are acting out a failed script with their attempts to spread disinformation and cause communal violence. Mr. Nwaka also called on Governor Oborevwori and state security agencies to restrain the Ogwashi-Uku monarch, claiming that further escalation could lead to unrest in Otulu. He requested that the state government help Otulu recover lands allegedly confiscated by Ogwashi-Uku.However, in a telephone interview, Chief Jude Obidi dismissed these demands and reiterated that Otulu is historically and legally part of the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom. He supported his position by sharing government gazettes from the Western Region, Bendel State, and Delta State, all of which officially list Otulu as one of the villages in Ogwashi-Uku. He further noted that the current leader of the Otulu community, Chief Anthony Enurah, was appointed by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and has been officially recognized and gazetted by the Delta State government.On the subject of security, elders from Otulu who have lived in the community for over 40 years confirmed that the area has been peaceful for the past three years, following the imprisonment of individuals responsible for previous unrest. According to the elders, these individuals were recently released on bail, and their return and alignment with people like Mr Nwaka has led to a resurgence of violence. The elders commended Chief Enurah the Chief of the community for his leadership and efforts to restore peace, particularly by involving law enforcement in addressing the recent spike in criminal activity.The Otulu elders also urged the police to investigate and bring to justice members of the "United and Concerned Indigenes" group, accusing them of destabilizing the community. They claimed that many of the group’s members are not from Otulu but hail from Issele-Uku and other neighbouring areas, and have no legitimate claim to Otulu land. The elders concluded by calling on the group to cease their attempts to rewrite history, stop inciting violence, and submit to proper investigation. They said Mr Nwaka and others are being sponsored by one Charles Ogboli a fugitive from justice who is wanted by the Nigerian Police for inciting violence in the community.They emphasized that Otulu remains a recognized part of the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, a fact that cannot be disputed.