The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered an investigation of the attacks on Ogbe-Ozoma Quarters of Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State by suspected land grabbers.
Consequently, he directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, and Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command Headquarters to decisively investigate all criminal infractions committed against the community and consolidate all pending petitions.
The elated indigenes of Ogbeozome Quarters of Okpanam made the submissions in a statement signed by Chief Felix Okafor, Sunday Nwanze, Lucky Abuah and Chinedu Ofuani for and on behalf of Oshimili North LGA of Delta State.
According to them, the IGP’s directive followed a petition dated September 23 2024, which chronicled, with a litany of empirical evidence, alleged compromise by the police, undue interference with criminal cases in courts, malicious destruction of properties, murder, and other sundry violent infractions allegedly committed by a businessman, Chinedu Okeke popularly known as Ekwe Ogidi.
While commending the IGP, the community leaders said bad eggs in uniforms who have been aiding and abetting the compromise of police investigation equally provided a veritable cover for the ceaseless perpetuation of the heinous infractions on the Ogbeozoma community.
“The grave perversion of the cause of justice orchestrated by these elements, which finds support/approval of their enablers from Abuja, reached a disturbing turn. A team of policemen from Special Enquiry Bureau (SEB) FCID, Abuja, discretely came into Asaba, ostensibly, acting on the strength of a signal raised by the Office of the DIG, and consequently presented the said signal to the officer in charge of Legal Department, Delta State Police Command, and withdrew an ongoing criminal trial involving some of these land grabbers”, the community said.
The O/C in charge was said to have immediately taken over the case file, including all exhibits recovered by the personnel of Delta State Police command from the Crime Scene.
The statement said the exhibits recovered at the scene of the crime specifically at Ogbe-Ozoma ancestral homeland, were all handed over to Ekwe Ogidi and his boys, including Caterpillar l, Toyota Hilux, live ammunition, and other personal belongings of Ekwe Ogidi.
The community said, “We indigenes of the Ogbeozoma community are profoundly delighted and consequently welcomed the deserving proactive intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, by directing for a well-detailed, transparent and comprehensive investigation of the mind-boggling allegations contained in the said petition and consolidation of all pending petitions affecting the same parties.
“This is a commendable development, which outcome shall certainly put an end to these unabated criminal activities and shall in a very big measure expose the evil activities of these marauders for what they really are.
“When the Senior lead counsel to Ogbeozoma community Okpanam, on Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta state, in the person of Ifeanyi Ejiofor was contacted for his opinion on the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police on this age-long desecration of Ogbeozoma Quarters, Okpanam, he equally stated in confirmation that similar petition was written to the chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation whose interventions are still being awaited.
“We the leaders of Ogbeozoma Quarters of Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area, profoundly commend the Inspector-General of Police for listening to the age-long cry of our peaceful community for justice.”
