Otulu Community Denies Alleged Police Invasion, Says Residents Enjoying Peace

The purported invasion of the Otulu Community in Aniocha South Local Government Area, Delta State, by suspected hoodlums, has been debunked by the leadership of the community, who explained that the purveyors of the misleading reports were agents of the devil with plans to disrupt existing peace in Otulu.

In a statement, the community leader, Obi Francis Medolunwa, and the Iyase of Otulu, Chief Christopher Isikekpei, the people declared that peace and harmony have reigned in the town for some time, explaining that the invasion as claimed by the reports, was an operation carried out by the police to arrest some suspected dissidents and miscreants causing instability in the community.

They also asserted that the police did not want Obi Medolunwa as he had cleared himself and had been a freeman after police investigations and reports.

Reacting to the media reports that quoted a ghost personality by the pseudo name Elder Chukwudi Anozie that ASP Dan Musa, a police officer from Abuja, led the invasion, the people of Otulu contended that the officers merely executed the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest those alleged to by perpetrating one crime or the other.

The police visit and arrest was an off-shoot of a petition dated August 15, 2024, addressed to the IGP and signed by Obi Medolunwa and Chief Isikekpei.

The statement traced the feud in the community to an attempt by their neighbours, including Ogwashi-Uku, to forcefully annex Otulu as part of their clan, despite a Supreme Court judgment in suit no. SC/293/1973, which affirmed the suit no. A/9/67 of the Mid-Western State High Court of Justice, Asaba Division that neither the Issele Clan, Ubulu Clan nor Ogwashi-Uku Clan proved they owned the Otulu community.

They stated that the continued incursions into the Otulu community prompted several protests since 2021, adding that there were also unprovoked attacks on the Otulu community by their neighbours and the killing of innocent citizens of indigenes.

They also recalled how Obi of Ogwashi Uku allegedly besieged the Otulu community with security agents and some native doctors, under the guise of performing cleansing and rituals at the center of Otulu, adding that all the actions, especially the gruesome murder of a youth. Mr Cletus Okpala allegedly by one Nnamdi, triggered further protests and culminated in the installation and coronation of Obi Francis Medolunwa to lead the people, which did not go down well with the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku.

They stated that Obi Mdolunwa had honoured the invitation by the DSS and police in Asaba and Abuja, adding that the circumstances leading to his being declared wanted by the police had been resolved in his favour and he had been moving about as a free man.

They condemned the media reports that alleged that the Obi Medolunwa was still wanted by the police, adding that he cannot be a wanted person and submitting a petition to the police to arrest those causing trouble in the Otulu community.

The statement also denied that the Otulu community gave the police N20m to protect Obi Medounwa or to arrest criminals operating in the community, adding that the police visited the community to perform their duty.

However, they regretted that one of those arrested during the operation, Anthony Enurah has been released by the police and walking around claiming that he is above the law.

They described Elder Anozie, who presented himself as an indigene of the community, as a faceless individual and wondered how he presented himself before the press to canvass and publish falsehood against the Otulu community.

They pleaded with the state government and the police authority to continue with the painstaking investigations already being undertaken to unravel the real cause of the problem and recognize Otulu as an autonomous community..

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