8th November, 2021
By Deborah Coker
The Western Zone of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), has said tension is building up in Ogbeh-Ijoh axis of Delta State over the murder of their kinsman, Pastor Sylvester Yerinbede.
IYC, in a statement issued by Olu-Derimon Omaghomi, Secretary, IYC, Western Zone, comprising Edo, Delta and Ondo states in Benin on Sunday said the alleged manner and location where the deceased was allegedly brutalised and his eventual death, had already heightened tension in the Ogbe-Ijaw axis.
Yerinbede, an indigene of Ogbe-Ijoh, was allegedly murdered on the Aladja portion of a disputed land between Ogbe-Ijoh, in Warri South-West Local Government Area, and Aladja in Udu Local Government Area of Delta.
The pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was reportedly killed in the Aladja area of Udu council of Delta State on his way to a vigil in Aladja community.
His remains was reportedly found by some Ogbe-Ijoh motorcyclists, who rushed him to hospital in the community for treatment, however, he died.
But the Ijaw Youth Council had previously stated the killers were from Aladja community inhabited mostly by the Urhobo people.
The Council claimed that the victim said his attackers spoke “Urhobo dialect” on his death bed.
But President of Aladja community, Elder Otto Ogbiruveta denied the claim, but promised that his group will investigate the claim.
However, in his statement on Sunday, Omaghomi explained that the two communities have been in dispute over a parcel of land where Yerinbede was killed, with several lives lost due to the age-long dispute.
He said that the alleged killing of Yerinbede is the latest, adding that in spite of the development, which happened more than a week now, no arrest has been made.
He added that the alleged manner and location where the deceased was allegedly brutalised and his eventual death, had already heightened tension in the Ogbe-Ijaw axis.
He therefore called on the Federal Government, the Delta Government as well as the Nigerian Police to fish out the culprits responsible for the act.
He added that the Ijaw nation would wait until those who perpetrated the distasteful act were brought to the arena of justice. (NAN)