Ughelli Attack: Our brother’s life in danger, survivor’s family cries out

The family of Omamuyovwi Akpuruekpo, one of those injured in the attack that led to the death of Mr Sylvester Adjogbe, the 34-year-old younger brother of immediate past Executive Director, Projects, in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Engr Sam Adjogbe, has cried out that the life of their brother is in danger. The deadly attack took place recently at Evwreni community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The younger sister of the victim, Miss Edijala Akpuruekpo, told newsmen that the life of her brother is no longer safe at the hospital where he has been receiving treatment at Ughelli, following the visit of a former Delta lawmaker and his boys to the hospital twice on Thursday.

Akpuruekpo, who sustained injuries following Wednesday’s attack, is said to be in stable condition.

Miss Akpuruekpo disclosed that some of the boys who came with the former lawmaker to the hospital were part of those who attacked his brother, lamenting that they may have come to finish what they started.

While calling on the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa, and other government agencies to come to their aid, she said that they are poor and helpless, hence they are calling on the government to prevent the killing of their brother.

According to her, “Those who attacked my brother were led by a former lawmaker to the hospital twice today. During one of his visits he was pointing to my brother, who was then lying in the bed.

“We fear for our brother’s life because we don’t know their intention and considering the antecedents of these people who do not have regard for human life. We know their visit is of no good; my brother’s life is no longer safe. They have come to finish what they started since they could not kill him during the attack at Evwreni.

“We are calling on the State Commissioner of Police, the Ughelli Area Commander and the DPO, A Division Ughelli, to step up their game and ensure that our brother is not killed and should anything happen to our brother, the former lawmaker should be held responsible.”

Miss Akpuruekpo also called on the police authorities to transfer her brother and the case to the state capital, Asaba, as his safety can longer be guaranteed at Ughelli.

She decried the inability of the police to effect any arrest of suspects a day after the incident that led to the death of a young man and many other injured. “The police at Ughelli seems helpless and overwhelmed by the Evwreni crisis, as we speak no arrest has been made, even though the suspects are known, those who attacked my brother and others are boasting at Evwreni,” she lamented.

However, a police source who spoke to in confidence said that the police has left instruction that at the hospital that no one should be allowed to see the injured young man at the hospital, adding that the police is not aware that the former lawmaker visited the hospital.

On why the case has not been transferred to Asaba, he said that they are looking at the condition of the injured young man, Omamuyovwi Akpuruekpo, saying that as soon as his condition is stable, he would be transferred to Asaba.

According to him source, “The boy was admitted to the hospital, he is our suspect, we have stopped people from seeing him and it’s not to the knowledge of the police that Mariere visited the hospital, we are also looking at the young man’s condition, if he is well enough, we will transfer him to Asaba, if that is what they want.”

Trouble had started at Evwerni on Wednesday afternoon after a failed attempt by the police to arrest one suspect fingered in the June 20 attempted assassination of Engr. Samuel Adjogbe along the East/West road close to the community.

It was gathered crisis started after youths from the community were allegedly mobilised by the monarch to prevent the police from arresting the suspect.

“The person killed is Sylvester Adjogbe. Men from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Asaba, led by one John Agbajie, had visited the community to arrest one Atiri Stephen following a petition by the ex-NDDC director but were resisted by youths from the community,” the source said.