Delta Community Youths Condoles With Ogbe-Ijoh Community Over Cleric's Death
The Aladja Welfare Movement in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State led by Comrade Elias Chipi on behalf of the people of Aladja Community on Sunday condoled with the people of Ogbe-Ijoh Community and the immediate family of Pastor Sylvester Yerinbide over his death.
The Aladja Welfare Movement which is the youth body of Aladja Community, condemned the unfortunate incident that led to the death of the cleric by suspected hoodlums in Aladja Community.
This is contained in a statement signed by Comrade Elias Chipi, Chairman of Aladja Welfare Movement.
The youths regretted that the incident occurred in a time where the two Communities are fashioning out ways to end the age long communal crisis between them.
While noting that they do not know the culprits involved in the dastard acts, the Aladja youths urged the Delta State Government including the relevant security agencies to prevail on the Ogbe-Ijoh Youth President who believes killers of Pastor Sylvester Yerinbide are from Aladja to name them with good evidence so that the Security Agencies could arrest them.
According to him, "the Aladja Community will join hands with the security agencies to effect the arrest of the suspects.
"The continued insistence of the Ogbe-Ijoh Youth President that the Aladja leadership knows the perpetrators shows that he knows something about the killers and as such he should come out and say what he knows.
The Aladja youths who derided the killers of Pastor Sylvester Yerinbide also called on the Security Agencies to do a thorough investigation to unravel those behind the death.
They expressed beliefs that the cleric's killers were people from Ogbe-Ijoh.
They stressed that prior to the incident information have it that Pastor Sylvester Yerinbide had been told by the Ogbe-Ijoh people not to go to Aladja again but that he refused claiming he too is an Aladja son. So no one can stop him from going to his own Community.
The Aladja youths also advised the Ogbe-Ijoh people to stop pointing accusing fingers at the Aladja people if anything happens at Ogbe-Ijoh saying," It is not in the best interest of the both Communities".
They said the incidences of burning of houses where it was found out that those who burnt the houses in December did so by bringing a ladder and tyres to the houses.
"Those who burnt the houses climbed up the houses with a ladder before setting them on fire. When this took place the security agencies did their investigations. They should be asked to bring out their findings.
"This recent burning it was also the same pattern. Then I asked if it were possible for people from Aladja to enter Ogbe-Ijoh with a ladder and tyres without being seen and after setting the buildings on fire leave the ladders there.
"The Ogbe-Ijoh Youth President told me, after the last incident of burning that he is very sure the burning was done by the Ogbe-Ijoh people. So why is he making a u-turn now and accusing Aladja of carrying out such acts.
"The Security Agencies; Police, SSS, Army and NSCDC who investigated the last house burning should make their findings public. Enough of these unnecessary accusations".
The Aladja youths recalled the shooting in the bush last month that almost caused a breakdown of law and order.
"The boy, Okpolokpo, was apprehended by the Ogbe-Ijoh people and taken to their Town Hall.
"When we called for his arrest and prosecution the Ogbe-Ijoh people developed cold feet. And made a U-turn denying such a thing ever happened. If they could hide such an open secret what can't they hide.
"We are using this medium now to call on the Delta State Governor to prevail on the Ogbe-Ijoh Youth President to tell the world where Okpolokpo is now and present same for prosecution.
"We know he was sent by some elements in Ogbe-Ijoh to cause problem. And to destabilize the peace process.
The Aladja youths asked to know where the young man from Ogbe-Ijoh who was having some mental problem and was attacking people along the road is presently?
They said it was the Ogbe-Ijoh Youth President who some months back called him to inform him that one young man from Ogbe-Ijoh was along the road attacking people and that they needed the assistance of the Aladja Youth to apprehend him which they did and handed over to the Ogbe-Ijoh Youth President.
In their words, "such a person could have carried out this kind of attack too".
The Aladja youths further recalled that sometime in February one Aladja boy riding on okada was attacked alongbthe Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh road and seriously wounded on the face.
That the Aladja people did not accuse Ogbe-Ijoh people of carrying out the act but when an Ogbe-Ijoh okada man was attacked later that same night the Ogbe-Ijoh people pointed accusing fingers at Aladja. Why, he asked.
This is because those fomenting trouble in Ogbe-Ijoh wants the crisis to resurface at all cost.
These series of attacks on citizens of both Communities led the President of Aladja Community Council to mobilize the Aladja Community Vigilantes to do a nightly patrol of the road from that February till late September when the Vigilantes stopped for lack of encouragement.
They added that since the attack and death of Pastor Sylvester Yerinbide many Aladja people have been attacked at Ogbe-Ijoh and their motorcycles seized. He named one Tudararo who was saved by the joint efforts of the security agents and the Chairman of Aladja Community Council.
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