The Nigerian Army has not issued any statements regarding the recent deaths of two leaders from the Okuama community in Delta State.
The President-General of Okuama, Pa James Oghoroko, and the community’s treasurer, Dennis Okugbaye, passed away while in army custody, with just six days between their deaths.
These two leaders, along with four others, were detained by the military during an operation that took place between August 18 and 20, 2024. The arrests followed the killing of 17 soldiers on a peace mission to resolve a conflict between Okuama and the neighboring Okoloba community on March 14, 2024.
The deaths of Pa Oghoroko and Dennis Okugbaye have caused unrest within the Okuama community. The community’s youths and women have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government, demanding the release of the detained leaders and the return of Pa Oghoroko’s body. This ultimatum reflects the community’s frustration and sorrow over the alleged violation of their leaders’ rights by the military.
Efforts to obtain an official statement from the military regarding the deaths of the community leaders have been fruitless. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, redirected inquiries to the Army Headquarters. Despite attempts to reach the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, through calls and messages, there has been no response as of the time of preparing this report.