From Francis Sadhere, Delta

The leadership of the Edjekota-Ogor community in the Ogor Kingdom, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has strongly condemned what it described as unlawful arrests, police brutality and extrajudicial killings carried out by officers under the Ughelli Area Command.

The President-General of Edjekota community, Pastor Oghenemakpor Uyo, during a press briefing held at the community’s Town Hall, decried the tragic events of April 7, now remembered locally as “Black Monday.

According to him, members of the Edjekota community were unjustly arrested and assaulted while working on their farmlands, resulting in the death of two individuals: Amakashi Martins of Edjekota and Victor Akpojarho of the neighboring Ewu community.

Uyo blamed the violence on a coordinated operation involving officers from the Ughelli Area Police Command and local hunters allegedly led by a police officer identified as Robinson and a vigilante hunter, Henry Okoro, both from Ewu community.

“It is appalling that our people were not invited or summoned for any questioning. Instead, armed officers stormed our farmlands and made arrests without prior notice,” Uyo said. “This was not just unprofessional — it was a blatant abuse of power and a gross violation of human rights.”

He clarified that there is no communal crisis between Edjekota and Ewu, as has been implied in some quarters. “What exists is a land dispute between two families—one from Edjekota and the other from Ewu—currently being handled legally at the Ughelli South Customary Court in Edjophe,” he explained. “Attempts by the police to frame this as a communal clash are misleading and dangerous.”

He said following the initial arrests, youths in the Edjekota community organized a peaceful protest. However, the demonstration took a violent turn when police officers and vigilantes allegedly opened fire on the crowd.

“Our youths did not take up arms or threaten anyone. They simply marched in peace to demand the release of their unlawfully detained brothers. But they were met with bullets. This is how Mr. Martins and Akpojarho lost their lives — innocent, unarmed, and undeserving of such cruelty,” Uyo noted.

The community is now demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all detained Edjekota residents and has called on the Delta State Government and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to set up an independent commission of inquiry.

“We want justice, and we want accountability. Let the truth come to light, and let those responsible for these deaths face the full wrath of the law,” Uyo said.

As tensions simmer, human rights activists and legal experts across Delta State are beginning to weigh in, urging the federal government to intervene before the situation escalates further.