Tension Mounts In Delta State As Residents Reject Proposed IDP Campsite: Conflict With Government Imminent

Tension Mounts In Delta State As Residents Reject Proposed IDP Campsite: Conflict With Government Imminent....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Residents of Okuama-Ewu community, situated in Ewu Clan within the Ughelli-South Local Government Area of Delta State, appear to be on a collision course with the Delta State government due to their reluctance to embrace the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp designated for them in Ewu.

Having sought refuge in the forests following the withdrawal of Nigerian Army troops from their riverside community after a 54-day siege, the residents returned home last Wednesday. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, instrumental in the army’s withdrawal, opposed locating the IDP camp in Okuama-Ewu, leading the government to select Ewu, the traditional headquarters of Ewu clan, citing the terrain.

As the IDP Management Committee, appointed by the state government, finalized preparations at the Ewu site, the sudden withdrawal of the army from Okuama was announced by the governor. This prompted residents, against relocating to any IDP camp outside their homeland, to swiftly return to Okuama-Ewu. They thwarted attempts by neighboring communities to loot materials like irons, rods, and zinc, resulting in a violent confrontation.

While the IDP camp management committee, chaired by former Guardian newspaper editor Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, anticipated residents’ relocation to Ewu, some returned to Okuama-Ewu, preferring an IDP camp there. They emphasized the urgent need for shelter and urged the government to rebuild homes destroyed by the army. Expressing distrust towards neighboring communities, they stressed the necessity of protecting their devastated homeland.

The chairman of the Ewu IDP camp management committee, overseeing renovations at Ewu Grammar School for the camp, reported significant progress, aiming for completion by the weekend. While the exact number of refugees expected remains unclear, the camp anticipates accommodating approximately 400 individuals initially.

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