Deacon Martins Ugbegwo, President of Isoko Professionals Association.
By Juliet Umeh
The Isoko Professionals Association (TIPA), a non-partisan group comprising professionals of Isoko North and South in Delta State has condemned the reported killing of some indigenes of Oleh Kingdom.
In a statement in Lagos, President of the Association, Deacon Martins Ugbegwo, described the killings as unfortunate and unacceptable, stressing that lives lost cannot be compared to any earthly possessions.
“It is sad to hear the unfortunate news of the murder of some Isoko indigenes.
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“As a stakeholder in the Isoko ethnic project, we condemn the action and call on the necessary authorities to immediately institute an investigative panel with a view to bringing the murderers to justice,” he said.
The professionals called on the two affected communities of Ozoro and Oleh, which are the administrative headquarters of the two local governments, to exercise restraint in the interest of peace, which Isoko is known for.
Ugbegwo urged the heads of the two local councils, the state and federal governments to wade into any remote and immediate causes of the unfortunate incident and restore sanity.
He added that what should be of interest to every Isoko indigene at the moment is the advancement of the two local governments with infrastructure that will ultimately lead to development and not bloodletting, accusations and counter-accusations, which will not help anybody.
“In Isoko, we are one. Going to war with ourselves can never be in our agenda,” he said.
VANGUARD
