Emma Amaize
WARRI- THE release of five suspects, including the younger brother of a former Commissioner in Delta state, who were arrested by the police in connection with the recent killings and spate of violence at Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, is generating fresh tension in the area.

An Ekpan youth leader told Vanguard, Tuesday, that the five suspects were taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Police Headquarters, by the police at Ekpan, only for the ex-commissioner and officials of the Ministry of Justice to use their offices to effect their release.

His words, “It is the release of the suspects that generated the most recent crisis in Ekpan and these are the people that are sponsoring problem in the community because of their selfish political interests”.

About four persons had reportedly lost their lives in the last few months with scores injured and valuable property destroyed in several attacks by warring youths.

One of them, Edigbe Ikpesan, was  a councillorship aspirant and youth activist and another victim, simply identified as Paul. The bone of contention is who controls the youth group, which has been banned by the state and local governments.

The police at Ekpan were said to have done everything to make the youths to abide by the directive of the state and local governments, but some of them were bent on going ahead with youth association in the community, a development that has put them in constant clash with law enforcement agents.

One of the youth leaders, Ogakpor Lion, however, warned that crisis would continue unabated in Ekpan community if urgent and immediate steps were not taken by the Federal and State Governments to tackle the bone of contention.

He accused the police of sweeping the matter under the carpet at the dictate of some Ekpan leaders, who were bent on fomenting trouble in the community.

According to him, “The cause of the problem in Ekpan Community could be traced to political reasons because the entire youths in Uvwie Kingdom particularly Ekpan were against rigging of the April 26, 2011 elections in Delta State. And before the election, a good number of the youths were unlawfully arrested and detained”.

His words, “The Ekpan youths are ready to dialogue and settle the problem once and for all in the interest of justice if a good atmosphere is provided by the federal government to look into the matter with a view to finding a lasting solution. The federal government should particularly take up the matter very seriously because of the huge presence of multinational companies located in the Ekpan community, which will go a long way to boost the confidence of the international community”.

“The federal government should set up a panel of inquiry to look into the matter critically and call the warring factions to order. Ekpan community is too sensitive for government to close her eyes and allow the community to degenerate without adequate measures to control the environment, considering the number of foreigners that reside in the community”, he added.