UGHELLI—Professor Arthur Ekpekpo, the wanted President General of Ewu Kingdom, was arrested by men in military uniform at an undisclosed location in Sapele on Sunday night. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
Additionally, two other leaders from Okuama, Chief Belvis Adogbo and Dennis Akugbaye, were reportedly apprehended by armed men in plain clothes on Monday morning at different locations in Ughelli.
A source from Okuama, who wished to remain anonymous, suggested that these arrests might be linked to a March incident that resulted in the deaths of 17 military personnel. The source speculated that officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) might be responsible for the detentions, although no official confirmation has been provided.
The arrests come at a time when peace was slowly returning to the Okuama community, with the Delta State government working on plans to resettle displaced residents. The community was devastated in March 2024 when Nigerian Army soldiers razed it in a retaliatory attack following the killing of 17 soldiers by gunmen near the area. The attack left the community in ruins, with every building, including hospitals and schools, reduced to rubble.
So far, security agencies have not issued any official statements regarding the arrests, and a senior police officer indicated that they were unaware of the developments.
