By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Sam Oyadongha, Jimitota Onoyume, Egufe Yafugborhi, Akpokona Omafuaire, Chioma Onuegbu, and Daniel Abia, ABUJA

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, yesterday in Abuja declared wanted eight persons over their roles in the recent killing of 17 military personnel at Okuama in Delta State.

But human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, in a swift reaction, said yesterday the military lacks powers to declare anybody wanted.

Those declared wanted are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe, Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.

The Director, of Defence Media Operations, Major-General Edward Buba, who released the list of those declared wanted at a briefing, called on Nigerians, especially residents of Delta and adjoining states to assist the military with credible information that will lead to the arrest of the eight persons allegedly responsible for the killing of seventeen soldiers.

General Buba said the military remains determined to fish out perpetrators of the heinous act in Delta State, reaffirming its commitment to rescue all kidnapped and abducted victims in Nigeria.

The release of the list came hours after military authorities buried the 17 slain soldiers in a ceremony attended by President Bola Tinubu, governors, federal lawmakers, and other dignitaries.

A source said the declaration of the suspects as wanted persons was based on information sieved from those earlier arrested in the wake of the killing of the military personnel.

Recall that three suspects were arrested by the military in Port Harcourt and moved to a military base in Asaba, Delta, a few days after the killing of the soldiers.

Traditional ruler, others declared wanted

One of those declared wanted, Hrm Clement Ikolo, is a newly-installed traditional ruler in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, installed as the Urhukpe I, Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom.

Also declared wanted is a suspected militant leader and oil bunkerer, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbono, aka Amagbein, who soldiers tracked to Igbomoturu community in Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, a few days after the dastardly incident but missed him.

Amagbein is not new to the military command in the Niger Delta, as the Joint Task Force, JTF, had once declared him wanted but did not find him.

The militant leader reportedly has the backing of some government officials, but despite the petitions against him by the paramount ruler of Igbomotoru communities, Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, HRH Ayibaikie Asemighen Ofongo, who he forcibly deposed three years ago, and compelled to swear an oath of allegiance to him, he remained untouchable.

Also on the list of wanted persons is the President-General of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, Prof Ekpekpo Arthur,
A woman, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Igoli Ebi, suspected to be the mother of one of the militants declared wanted, is on the wanted list, probably for her support to the son.

Reuben Baru is the fair-complexioned young man who boasted in a viral video that they carried out the killing of the soldiers at Okuama because military men took sides with their oppressor, and wanted to take away their community leaders.
Atata Malaw David and Sinclear Oliki, also on the wanted list, are suspected to be members of Amagbein Force, established to protect and control Omotegbono sphere of influence spread across the creeks of Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states.

The group also acts as an enforcer to instil fear in those opposed to its activities. Another of his creations is the Amagbein Peace Movement, which is involved in humanitarian work, assisting indigent community folks.

Concerning the Ewu monarch, Delta State government presented him with a staff of office in November last year.

Shortly after the killing of the 17 soldiers in Okuama, he said it was saddening that the military men who came to protect the people lost their lives, adding that one of the dead soldiers firmly stood to protect him during the presentation of staff of office to him in November 2023.

He also stated before the killing of soldiers: “I contacted the government regarding the crisis and the information they gave to me was that they invited both parties to resolve the issue and that in fact, it has been resolved. That is just the summary of what I know regarding the crisis.”

However, before his installation, the women of Ewu Kingdom had stormed the palace of HRM, Major General Felix Mujakperuo, retd, Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, to protest his installation.

Wanted Delta monarch surrenders self to police

The wanted traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Clement Oghenerukevwe surrendered himself to the police yesterday.It was learned that the monarch held a press briefing before submitting himself to the police.

At the briefing, before handing himself to the police, 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 and 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.”

Military lacks powers to declare persons wanted – Falana, SAN

Reacting, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday advised the military not to bungle the case of the slain 17 officers and men of the army who were laid to rest at the military cemetery in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to him, the military lacks the power to declare anyone wanted without due process of law.

Falana said in a statement: ‘’The authorities of the Armed Forces should be made to realise that the military cannot arrest, detain, investigate and charge civilian suspects with any offence whatsoever.

‘’In Dr Issa Perry Brimah v Nigerian Army, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that ‘it must be stated here without equivocation that the defendant (Nigerian Army) has no right to declare the plaintiff wanted without following the appropriate procedure.

‘’The Judge further said that the defendant cannot arrest the plaintiff arbitrarily without making a formal report to law enforcement agency with the mandate to enforce law and order. Otherwise, it would transmute to self-help.

‘’The duty of the defendant is to make a formal report to the appropriate authority like the police and await the outcome.
‘’In Miss Grace Anita Paul v. The Chief of Army Staff, the Army, Inspector-General of Police & the Nigerian Police Force, the Federal High Court held that the Nigerian Army lacks the power to arrest, investigate and hold in custody anyone who is not subject to the Armed Forces Act or any other military law.

‘’Justice Taiwo Taiwo, on Wednesday, warned the military not to usurp the powers of the Nigerian Police under Sections 4 and 84 of the Police Act which empowers the police to detect and investigate crime.

‘’We have also read that eight people alleged to be involved in the cruel murder of the soldiers have been declared wanted by Defence Headquarters. It is trite law that the police and security agencies lack the powers to declare any suspect wanted without a court order.

“In Benedict Peters v Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a high court in Abuja ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, lacks the powers to declare anyone wanted without obtaining a court order or charging the suspect with an offence.

“The presiding judge, Justice Othman Musa, ruled that though the EFCC could declare wanted persons who fail to honour its invitation for investigation, it could only do so if it obtains a court order for that purpose.

“So, the decision of the Defence Headquarters to declare the murder suspects wanted is completely illegal.

“Let the Federal Government direct the Defence Headquarters to hand over the investigation of the suspects involved in the gruesome murder of the 17 officers and soldiers. It ought to be pointed out that murder is not a military offence to warrant investigation by Defence Headquarters.

‘’If the Federal Government fails to call the Defence Headquarters to order, the case concerning the tragic murder of the soldiers will be completely bungled’’

Focus on wanted persons, leave innocent communities, and individuals, say N-Delta stakeholders

Meanwhile, N-Delta stakeholders yesterday urged the Army to zero in on those declared wanted and spare innocent communities and individuals in the oil region from further clampdown.

The stakeholders who, earlier in the week appealed to the federal government to pull the Army out of Okuama, and other besieged communities in Delta and Bayelsa states, said they would not keep mute, as several communities cordoned by the military were suffering food crisis.

Insisting that the wanted persons must be fished out to face the consequences of their action if found culpable, the stakeholders cautioned the military not to lose the sympathy of the people of Niger Delta with the manner it was going about distressing people and destroying communities.

In addition, troops on clearance operations, Wednesday, laid siege to the Omosuomo Federated Communities in Ughelli South Local Government Area where soldiers combed the community, and destroyed some houses.

They, however, frowned on the raid on the country home of Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark, by soldiers in search of arms and ammunition stolen from the slain soldiers, saying though Clark was not above the law, they should have given him the honour that he would not be part of such monstrosity,
The chairman of the Community Development Committees of the Niger Delta, Elder Joseph Ambakederimo, an Urhobo ethnic nationality leader, and Secretary, Forum of Urhobo Leaders of Thought, Alhaji Mumakai Unagha, a legal practitioner, and ex – Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, Spokesman, Amaebi Clarkson, were among those who spoke.

Others are a security expert, Dr. Fred, president of Foundation for Peace and Nonviolence in Nigeria, FOFPEN, Comrade Onengiya Erekosima, ex-Ijaw Youth Council, IYC president and lawyer, Eric Omare, and chair of the Board of Trustees, Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade CHURAC, Alaowei Cleric Ebikonbowei Esq.

Army should not lose sympathy of N-Delta – Dr. Fred, security expert

A security expert in the Niger Delta, who identified himself as Dr. Fred warned the military to be mindful of its destructive actions in communities in the Niger Delta.

He said: “The approach is beginning to make the institution lose sympathy in the region. The army is again re-enacting the wrong mentality the late Afrobeat legendary musician, Fela Kuti, sang about the Nigerian Army over two decades ago.

“What has happened to intelligence in the military that they are carrying on like an institution with no military intelligence? In less than three weeks, they have destroyed several houses, and villages in the name of looking for those behind the sad killings.

“Shockingly, the army has been coming out with conflicting accounts over the incident. The army should not lose the sympathy of the region by trying to instil fear in the people.

“If the soldiers can be killed in that manner, the military should know that trying to instil fear, is no longer a solution. It should build its intelligence network, relate with the civil populace, and they will get results.”

Civilians should not suffer military retaliations – Erekosima, FOFPEN president

Similarly, the President, Foundation for Peace and Nonviolence in Nigeria, FOFPEN, Comrade Onengiya Erekosima, who spoke to Vanguard in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, said: “The Nigerian military should prioritize its operations in the Niger Delta communities to avoid unnecessary killings of innocent civilians whenever there is kinetic actions in the region.

“The fact that these individuals have been declared wanted for the killing of the soldiers should prompt a more targeted and focused investigation by the authorities.

“This pervasive behaviour, where entire communities are targeted in retaliation for the actions of a few, is abhorrent and must be unequivocally condemned. It is unacceptable that civilians continue to suffer because of the military’s retaliatory actions, and this cycle of violence must end.’’

Erekosima, who contributed immensely to the set up of the amnesty programme by late President Musa Yar’Adua called on the army and police to prioritize the apprehension of those responsible for attacks, rather than engage in indiscriminate violence against innocent civilians.

Reacting to the invasion of the country home of elder statesman, Chief Clark, in search of suspects, he said: “It calls for great concern the continued siege on communities, particularly the invasion of Chief Edwin Clark’s country home, despite the identification of ‘persons of interest’ in the case.”

Erekosima said the unnecessary intrusion into Chief Clark’s home raised questions about the tactics employed by the military in their operations.

“Conducting searches without concrete evidence or reasonable suspicion undermines the trust and cooperation of the local communities, which are essential for maintaining peace and security in the region.

“I am deeply troubled by the recurring pattern of the military and police’s response, which seems to involve indiscriminate violence against innocent civilians whenever an attack occurs against their personnel,’’ he said.

Focus on real target – Ambakederimo, S-South leader

Also reacting to the list of wanted persons released by DHQ, Elder Ambakederimo told Vanguard in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that since the Army has finally declared some identified suspects wanted, and the Chief of Defence Staff had earlier identified oil bunkerers as the masterminds of the act, the army should remain focused on the real target.

He said: “But if we must dig deep into happenings in the Niger Delta vis-à-vis crude oil theft and oil infrastructure vandalism, there is also rivalry among self-styled “generals” and control of territories, which is becoming increasingly worrisome.

“There is a complaint of lopsided patronage by the government of certain individuals over others. We cannot allow this pattern to continue because it portends danger in the future. Those in government who are inadvertently stoking this fire must stop before it gets out of the government’s control.

On the attack on the Kiagbodo country home of elder statesman, Clark, he said: “This is the result of what you get when the untoward is allowed to happen, although the military has apologized to the elder statesman, they should abide by the standard operating procedure in dealing with the civilian population.”

Do not put innocent people in pain – Unagha, Urhobo leader

On his take on the issue, Urhobo ethnic nationality leader, Alhaji Unagha, said: “I am not defending Okuama people. Those involved should face justice, and they should not subject the innocent to untold hardship and suffering.

“Since the ugly development, Nigerians have called for an independent investigation to unearth the situation. Thank God the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, has opened up that they know those involved, and narrow their investigation. This is a welcome development.

“However, Nigerians want to know the true mission of the military men. Sometime last year, Alhaji Asari Dokubo spoke about the involvement of the military in bunkering in the Niger Delta, and to date, nobody has said anything about that.
“The current siege on Okuama by the military should be vacated for the people to go about their daily living. There are so many questions to answer. Is Nigeria and Okuama at war before moving virtually a military formation for the so-called peace mission?

“Who authorized the movement of the military men to the Okuama community, and why did they not involve the state and other agencies?’’ On the invasion of Pa Clark’s country home, he said: “Nothing wrong if there was a security report that warranted the search, so be it, provided the people are not harassed or intimidated as nobody is above the law.’’

All-inclusive and in-depth probe – Omare, ex-IYC president

In his reaction,eEx-IYC president, Eric Omare, said in Warri, Delta State: “I condemn in the strongest terms the invasion of the country home of Chief E. K. Clark. For the Army to claim to have invaded the home of Chief Clark in error as stated by the respected chief is an indictment of their capacity.

“One would expect that before the Army carried out that sort of operation, they would have done basic and proper due diligence. Unfortunately, they did not do that and ended up presenting themselves as people not sure of what they were doing, and at the same time, put those in Chief Clark’s residence through unnecessary stress.

“The Army needs to have done better in their intelligence gathering – moving forward. Relating to those responsible for the Okuama killings, I think a holistic and thorough investigation needs to be carried out, rather than restricting it to some people who claim to be responsible on social media.’’

Also speaking, ex-MOSIEND spokesman, Amaebi Clarkson, asserted: “The government should do all it can to fish out the perpetrators of this cruel act. Consoled by the pronouncement by the military that they know the culprits, I am worried by the military rampage and wanton killings in the region, all in the guise of chasing the so-called militants.

“The military seems not to have learned from the Odi and Zaki Biam misadventure. Soldiers have burned Okuama and invaded Igbomotoru. More worrisome is the invasion of elder statesman, Edwin Clark’s country home. This is sacrilege. The invasion is suspicious. Could it be to provoke the Ijaw to react, and unleash havoc in Ijawland? The invasion portrayed Pa Clark as a gunrunner or a man whose house is a safe- haven for criminals?’’

Food crisis looming, lift siege to communities – Ebikonbowei, CHURAC

CHURAC chair, Ebikonbowei, said in his reaction: “The military said its ongoing investigation of the gruesome killing of 17 soldiers at Okuama will be directed at persons of interest. I like this statement but I am uncomfortable with its operation so far.

“Innocent people seem to have suffered more than the persons of interest. Why not focus on the identified persons of interest and why subject innocent people to suffer atrocities?

“Nigerians are more interested in the outcome of the investigation. The military should make public the outcome of its investigation. This will help the human rights community to assess the situation of things. There is a serious humanitarian crisis in the waterways.

“The communities within the precinct of Okuama are all under siege since the incident occurred. The military should hasten up its investigation to allow communities access to food and other necessities of life.’’

N-Delta not a conquered territory – Ante, ONAF leader

Also reacting yesterday, the president-general of Oron National Forum, ONAF, Comrade Ita Ante, wondered why Edwin Clark’s country home was searched for ammunition in the first place, stressing that such coulldn’t happen in the northern part of the country where violent crimes were being perpetrated by bandits and Boko Haram sect.

“Nobody encourages that our soldiers should be killed but I am sorry to say that when something happens in the South, especially the Niger Delta, the way security agencies will carry out invasion and destruction of the place is disturbing.
“Remember the case of Odi, during the Obasanjo administration. If it were in the north, such a thing wouldn’t happen. In the North where you have bandits, the Boko Haram sect kills daily, they don’t lay siege to those areas like they do when something happens in the Niger Delta.

“But when something happens in places like Anambra, Imo, or Delta, the military will come as if it is a conquered territory.’’

Omouomo residents cry out

In a related development, residents of Omosuomo Federated Communities in Ughelli South Local Government Area cried out on Wednesday that their community was under siege by the military. A senior chief from the community, who spoke to Vanguard on the phone, lamented that Omosuomo had been raided twice. “We are not a neighbouring community to Okuama. Why are they harassing us and destroying our homes?’’ He queried.

President General of Omosuomo Federated Communities, Chief Henry Abizon, also confirmed the harassment and razing of houses in the area.