By Ocholi Sarah & Abah Comfort

The Nigeria Police Warri Area Commander, ACP Mohammed Garba, has been commended for the return of over 150 indigenes of Ugbeogungun community, an Itsekiri settlement, in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State to their homeland.

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The returnees were displaced over two years ago during a leadership crisis in the area.

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, who gave the commendation, described the feat as very significant in the sense that previous security chiefs in the area have done their utmost best to get the displaced people back home in the time past, but could not achieve much until now.

The movement of the people back to their homeland, which commenced from the NPA Jetty in Warri on Monday, was supervised by a team of security agencies, mostly soldiers from the 3 Battalion, Effurun, and Police team attached to the Warri Area Command.

The displaced persons, mostly women and children, were seen at the jetty as early as 6:30a.m., in preparation to board the passenger boats that had been arranged to convey them to their homeland to reunite with their families and the loved ones they left behind over two years.

IGP’s directive

ACP Garba noted that the task was in line with his duty based on the fact that it was the directive from the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, that he should ensure that the displaced people return home.

According to him, “it was based on my oga’s directive to ensure that all stakeholders in the crisis signed a peace accord that would guaranty the safe return of the displaced indigenes.

“This decision was reached after series of meeting with community leaders, elders and youth bodies’ executives of both factions and in the course of brokering peace, I realised that all those involved in the crisis are related one way or the other.

“For now, we are still experimenting with the process. We still have our men on ground in the community to monitor both the safety and acceptance of the displaced indigenes and once we are convinced, we will then commence disengagement of men from the area.”

Vanguard