Clement Ikolo, traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom, on Friday, got into the safe hands of Ede Dafinone, Senator representing Delta North at the National Assembly, ending a three-week ordeal in the custody of the Nigerian Army, who named him as one of those linked the brutal murder of four officers and 13 soldiers in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government of Delta State, on March 14, 2024.
But, there is a caveat – nobody is full exonerated yet over the incident, Defence Headquarters, said on Friday, adding that his release was because nothing had been connected to him yet, coupled with the fact that some prominent people from his kingdom have come out to speak to his good character.
The traditional ruler was earlier declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) alongside seven others on March 28, a day after he turned himself in, for their alleged involvement in the killing of the soldiers in Okuama community of Ughelli South LGA of the State while on peace mission.
Onyema Nwachukwu, a Major General and spokesman of the DHQ, who handed the monarch over to the Senator, explained that the Army took the decision after painstakingly reviewing every available information on the incident, and came to the preliminary observation, that while the culpability had not conclusively established anything against him, there was insufficient evidence to exonerate anyone at this stage.
He however added that due to the intervention of eminent personalities, and the fact that the monarch voluntarily turned himself in, he has released to Dafinone on the condition that he would always assist in the ongoing investigations.
Others declared wanted, included Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki; a traditional ruler, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe; Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.
Before surrendering himself to the police, who eventually handed him over to the military, the monarch, had in a public statement, claiming innocence of complicity in the murder of the 17 military men: “I am very surprised that my name as the monarch of the kingdom will appear in the list of wanted persons.
“I have no hand in the killings, I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody. It is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic. It is a serious crime against humanity. They need to look at the appropriate places and do thorough investigation to know all those who committed this, bring them to book and let justice prevail.
“I am not a party to this. And like I have said earlier, the state government is aware of the turbulence I have been going through. And as I speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently just before these happenings.
“(The arrangement was) To invite those who are fighting me in the kingdom to reconcile the differences and allow me to go into the kingdom and start to rule as the monarch of the place. I have not been able to set up anything. Not even my traditional council.
“I have done nothing in the kingdom. So I barely know anything right now. I have no information, I know nothing. I’m only just in the process of setting up a structure to enable me rule in the kingdom.”