Communal clashes: Nigerian Govt urged to establish army barracks in Okuama

The Okoloba Federated Community in Delta has called on the Federal Government to establish an army barracks in neighboring Okuama Town as a strategy to tackle communal clashes and killings in the area.

The Chairman of Okoloba Federated Community, Clement Koki, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

Recall that on March 14, at least, 17 military personnel were killed in Okuama following a communal clash in the area.

The personnel attached to the 181 Amphibious Battalion were responding to a distress call when they were ambushed and killed.

Okuama, an Urhobo community in-between two Ijaw communities; Akugbena and Okoloba, is in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta.

Koki, who condemned the killing of the officers and soldiers, said that establishing an army barracks at Okuama would promote peace in the area.

“We don’t want bloodbaths again. We have lost enough people, including the finest military officers that were killed,” he said.

He sympathised with neighboring communities for temporary inconveniences on them occasioned by security measures put in place by the military to forestall further crises.

He said that establishment of an army barracks would end or reduce conflicts and killings in the area.