The Commissioner of Police in Delta state, Olufemi Abaniwonda, says the police is yet to gain access into the Okuama community where seventeen soldiers were ambushed and murdered by some assailants in the community. 

While speaking on Arise TV on Wednesday, March 20, Abaniwonda said despite being responsible for internal security, the Nigeria Police Force has not yet been able to get into Okuama because the military is conducting an operation and the environment is currently volatile.

In his words;

‘’Okuama and Ikoloba communities have been having what I call a perennial land dispute over fishing rights. The unfortunate incident happened when military officers who had gone on a peacekeeping mission were ambushed and killed. Since that incident happened, it has become what I call a military operation zone.

We have not been able to move into this community. Yes, it is our responsibility as the primary line of defence in internal security but when you have a sister agency conducting an operation, the reasonable thing to do is to wait for them to finish. We have not been able for now to get into Okuama because of the volatile nature of what is presently ongoing in that environment”

Watch a video of him speaking below…