Military Declares Monarch, Physics Prof, ‘Militant’s’ Mother Wanted Over Murder Of Soldiers
….It’s illegal to declare suspects wanted – Falana warns army
Twenty-four hours after soldiers who were murdered in Okuama, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, were laid to rest, the military declared eight suspects wanted in connection with their deaths.
Salient Times had reported how the troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta, were killed on March 14, 2024.
The incident, which occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after a crisis between Okuoma and Okoloba communities, both in Delta had, generated outrage nationwide.
During the burial of the slain heroes, President Bola Tinubu had called on the elders of Okuama to volunteer information about the identity of the killers.
On Thursday morning, Director, Defence Media Operations of the Defence Headquarters, Edward Buba, called on the stakeholders and traditional rulers across the country particularly in the Niger Delta to help the military in fishing out those who had been declared wanted.
Below are some things to know about those declared wanted:
EPKEKPO ARTHUR
A professor of Solid State Physics in the Department of Physics, Delta State University, Abraka, Arthur is a member of the Nigeria Institute of Physics. He is also a member of the Nigeria Association of Mathematical Physics, and also a member, Science Association of Nigeria.
He was the Dean, Faculty of Science, Delsu, Abraka, from 2018 to 2020, Head, Department of Physics of the institution from 2013 to 2018; Chairman, Student Disciplinary Committee from 2018 to 2020 and member, postgraduate business committee of DELSU’s senate from 2017 to 2020.
Arthur is number 2 on the wanted list released by the army authorities.
CLEMENT IKOLO
He is the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta. When the Delta State Government announced his ascension to the throne towards the end of last year, there was a wide protest in the Urhobo kingdom. The people of Ekadeh ruling house of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom said it was the turn of their house to produce a king. The protesters wielded different placards with inscriptions such as: “Ewu is A Peaceful Kingdom”, We don’t Need Crisis”, “Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, do the Right Thing”, among others.
Ikolo had earlier reacted to the killing of soldiers in his domain, saying one of the deceased soldiers stood by him during his coronation.
When contacted for comments on the list, Ikolo told our correspondent, “I am aware; I just saw it on TV now. Please, I will call you back because I am with my lawyer.”
REUBEN BARU
Number 8 on the list, Baru is believed to be the son of a retired military officer. Last week, a video he released on social media set tongues wagging, In the video, the suspect who identified himself as the son of a retired military officer, had dared the Federal Government to declare him wanted.
“This is the last video I will make over the fight between Okuama community and Okoloba community. The Ijaw people from Okuama community used army to carry three people from Okoloba community and killed them. The three people were all slaughtered.
“The 16 soldiers were killed when they came to take away our community leaders and the youths knew that when they take them (the community leaders) away, they will be powerless. That was the reason the 16 soldiers were attacked.
“My father was a retired army officer who died last year. I have lost six of my people to the fight between Okuama community and Okoloba community. The Federal Government can declare me wanted after making this video,” he had said.
IGHOLI EBI
Number four on the wanted list, Ebi is the only woman among the eight persons the the army authorities declared wanted. She is said to be the mother of Amagbein, alleged to be one of the militant group leaders. The paramount Ruler of Igbomotoru Community in Bayelsa State, HRH Ayibaikie Aseimighen Ofongo, had narrated how Amagbein and his boys forced him into exile.
At a press conference in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital, last week, the king, also a retired military officer, asked the army to crush soldiers killers.
“I was told there was an Army invasion of the community, I was told a militant leader from Igbomotoru by name Endurance Amagbein went to Delta and some military officers who were there to make peace were shot dead, that was why military invaded our community last Sunday.”
“I have previously written several petitions to both the presidency, the state government and the security agencies about the activities of this militant gang, and we attended meetings with the governor, we also had time with the oil companies representatives, because when they started, they started with the oil companies and then rolled back to me, claiming I had been deposed and all that, so all those activities were reported to the government, and so many meetings were held by the government and oil companies to resolve that, but the people continued to do what they thought was good for them, until we reached this state. It was my opposition to this militant group that made them force me out of the community,” he had said.
Others on the wanted list are: Akata Malawa David; Andaowei Dennis Bakriri; Sinclear Oliki and Akevwru Daniel Omotegbono,
Details on the suspect are still being researched. If you have any reliable information, you can share with us in the comment section.
It’s illegal to declare suspects wanted – Falana warns army
Meanwhile, Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has kicked the declaration of eight persons wanted by the Nigerian army over the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community of Delta state.
In a statement released on Thursday, March 28, Falana warned the military against bungling the case of the slain soldiers. The statement read;
“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 where 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 the 8 people alleged to be involved in the cruel murder of the soldiers have been declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters it is trite law that the police and security agencies lack the power to declare any suspect wanted without a court order. In Benedit Peters v Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a high court in Abuja ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission lacks (EFCC) 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 as 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 the 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
