The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has warned youths in the Okuama community and environs to shun violence and avoid being used as cannon fodders.

A Tuesday statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Daniel Alabrah, noted that Diri urged the people of Igbomotoru 1 and 2 communities in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area to return home, saying the Nigerian Army had assured the state government of their safety.

The governor on Tuesday visited the two communities with a high-powered delegation that included the Commander of the Nigerian Army 16 Brigade, Oluremi Obolo, to assess the situation in the area.

Following the March 14 killing of 17 soldiers at Okuama, soldiers had been deployed in the communities in search of the masterminds of the attack while many residents had fled their homes for bushes in fear of reprisal.

Meanwhile, families and friends of the traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom in Delta State, Clement Ikolo, are said to be in the dark about the monarch’s whereabouts for about a month since he was detained by the Nigerian military.

The monarch had surrendered himself to the police and was handed over to the military hours after he was declared wanted alongside seven others by the Defence Headquarters in connection to the killing of the soldiers.

Governor Diri, while addressing the paramount ruler, chiefs, elders and youths of the communities, condemned the killing of the soldiers and charged the people, particularly the youths, not to allow themselves to be used as agents of criminality and destabilisation.

The governor said, “I would like to appreciate the military high command for cooperating with us. I came here to tell the people of Igbomotoru not to allow such a thing to happen again. Enough is enough. The era of militancy is over. It is time for intellectual engagement. Our youths should not be seen and used as cannon fodders.

“This is a warning to all those who offer themselves for nefarious activities to have a rethink. The government has established technical colleges and initiated empowerment programmes for youths to key into to develop themselves.

“It is time for us to engage ourselves intellectually because that is the only route to developing our communities. I want to take roads to communities. That is my priority.

“I feel so sad that rather than keying into what our government is doing, some of our youths are getting involved in unproductive ventures. This is a different era. We cannot go back to the era of Adaka Boro. I am happy that President Bola Tinubu has approved the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road covering the whole coast of Ijaw land.”

A Tuesday statement by the Secretary of the Ewu-Urhobo Traditional Council of Chiefs, Abizor Henry, explained that despite efforts by the detained monarch’s lawyer to have family members have access to him, the request had not been granted.

Abizor said, “Shockingly, efforts made by the Traditional Council of Chiefs of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, family members and friends of the monarch in Nigeria and abroad to reach him have been abortive, leaving people wondering why someone who voluntarily surrendered himself to the security forces and has been commended by the Chief of Defence Staff for doing such an honourable thing, has not been allowed to see or talk to his subjects, family members or friends.

“His lawyer, Ama Etuwewe (SAN), has made a written request dated April 2, 2024, for access to see his client with a family member, but this access has not been granted to date.”

In the statement titled, “True story of the arrest of the monarch of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom over Okuoma killing,” the monarch was also said to have earlier encountered stiff opposition from some interested persons who claimed they were entitled to contest for the kingship.

The chiefs noted that the monarch, on hearing of the murder of the 17 military men at Okuoma community, did not delay in condemning the dastardly act through a press statement and requested that the government should go after the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

The statement said, “The monarch woke up in the morning hours of March 28, 2024, to surprisingly see in the news media that he had been declared wanted by the military, without any prior invitation from any of the government security agencies.

“The monarch, on seeing the news, issued a press statement declaring his innocence and voluntarily surrendered himself to the Delta State Commissioner of Police for interrogation to clear his name. The police in the morning hours of March 29, 2024, handed him over to the military, who flew him to Abuja. Since that day, he has been in the custody of the military.”