Hundreds of women and children from the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State have found themselves stranded in forests for six days without food following their escape from the Nigerian Army’s operations after the killing of 16 soldiers last week.
Reports indicate that Okuama remains inaccessible, with only military personnel allowed entry and exit. Neighbouring communities have reportedly refused refuge to fleeing Okuama residents, fearing reprisal from soldiers conducting search operations.
Some days ago, the Okuama women cried out that they fled into the forests when soldiers allegedly opened fire on the villagers in the town hall after the community refused their attempt to take away the community leaders.
Vanguard reports that as of yesterday, Okuama is out of bounds, as only the military can enter and exit the town. The state governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori confirmed he could not visit the use of the situation.
One indigene of a bordering community in the Ewu Kingdom said the situation of the victims of the military onslaught on culprits of the Okuama killings was pitiable.
His words: “Hunger is taking a toll on them, especially the children they are carrying. This is a humanitarian crisis, and the government has to open a refugee camp for these people and provide them with food.
“Soldiers molest innocent people in neighbouring communities of Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area. As I am speaking with you, soldiers are still in the Orere community in the Ewu kingdom, molesting innocent people in the search for perpetrators.
“The fact is that neighbouring communities of Okuama in the Ewu Kingdom are not receiving fleeing indigenes of Okuama, who are mostly women and children, for fear of harassment and molestation by the military.
“As we speak, neighboring communities are living in fear because the military has set up drones watching over all communities”.
A resident of the Orere community said that people in neighbouring communities had had sleepless nights over the presence of soldiers in their domains.
He said: “We are having sleepless nights over what happened at Okuama because the military is after the perpetrators fleeing from the scene of the incident. To be candid, nobody is happy over what happened to the soldiers at Okuama.
“But, the issue has degenerated, and we are all affected. They would come to your community, brutalizing innocent people over their onslaught of fleeing perpetrators.
“I want to use this medium to call on the federal government to consider setting up refugee camps for women and children displaced from the Okuama community, which nobody wants to accommodate because of the fear of the rampaging soldiers in neighbouring communities.
“This is a clarion call on the Federal Government to save these victims. The government should set up Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps to accommodate these vulnerable victims so they can be identified and avoid the harassment of neighbouring communities.
“I want to conclude by saying that nobody supports the killing of soldiers at Okuama, and the federal government should do something to save these innocent victims”.
