A Delta-born activist and philanthropist, General Ejiwealth Emareyo, has criticized Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for abandoning the Okuama community, which was destroyed by Nigerian soldiers in a reprisal attack.
The Okuama people evacuated their community on March 14 following a military retaliation for the killing of 17 Army officers. They have since been relocated to an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in the Ewu-Urhobo community, under the care of the Delta State Government.
General Emareyo decried the conditions at the IDP camp in Ewu, noting with dismay that the state government had reduced the camp to a dump site, with inadequate provisions for the IDPs. He criticized Governor Oborevwori for failing to visit the camp and show empathy since the relocation.
In a press release, General Emareyo expressed outrage over the suffering of the Okuama people, who lack basic necessities such as food, water, and cooking ingredients in their IDP camps. He highlighted the dire situation faced by the displaced people, who are struggling to survive without access to essential resources.
The community was razed to the ground after militants killed 17 soldiers, prompting a retaliatory attack by the military. Emareyo’s statement has sparked calls for accountability and urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis in Okuama.
“The neglect of the Okuama community has raised questions about the government’s commitment to protecting its citizens and ensuring their well-being,” Emareyo stated.
He further criticized Governor Oborevwori for lacking empathy, a requisite quality of a good leader, and emphasized that his leadership is marred by a lack of capacity, care, and responsiveness to the people.
Emareyo challenged the Governor to provide a detailed account of how the yearly security vote, amounting to billions of naira, is being spent on the security of the people of Delta State, where security remains a major challenge.
He called on the Governor to resign if he is not capable of leading a linguistically diverse and oil-rich state like Delta. Emareyo urged the Governor to address the situation at the Okuama IDP camp and respond to their plight using state resources.
Fresh Tension Rises Between Okuama-Ewu, Okoloba Communities in Delta
General Emareyo expressed confidence in his facts and findings about the level of neglect at the Okuama IDP camp in Ewu-Urhobo and challenged the government to refute his claims. “I am ready to defend my claims even in a court of competent jurisdiction,” he added
