The police have handed over to the military a wanted traditional ruler, Clement Ikolo Ogenerukeywe, the king of Ewu Kingdom, Delta State..
Our correspondent learnt yesterday that Ogenerukeywe has since been flown to Abuja for questioning.
He was escorted to Asaba International Airport by the Commanding Officer, 63 Brigade Nigeria Army Asaba, the Delta State Police Commissioner and other senior military officers.
The monarch was escorted into an Air Peace plane which departed Asaba Airport at about 9:10 am.
Ogenerukeywe was one of the eight people declared wanted by the military for allegedly having a hand in the murder of 17 of its personnel in Okuama, Delta State recently.
The Public Relations Officer, Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe, had earlier confirmed his arrest by the police and subsequent handover to the military.
The monarch, according to the Police Commissioner Abaniwonda Olufemi, “turned himself in” shortly after the Defence Headquarters declared him and seven others wanted on Thursday.
The monarch was said to have arrived at the police command headquarters at exactly 6:41 pm.
The monarch, who spoke during an interview on TVC before he turned himself in to the police, denied allegations of being involved in the killing of 17 soldiers in the community.
He said: “I am really very surprised and taken aback that my name as the monarch of the kingdom would appear in the list of wanted persons.
“I have no hands in the killings. I have no hands in encouraging anybody to kill anybody. It is against my philosophy as a human being and faith as a Catholic. It is against it.
“This is a serious crime against humanity and I think they need to look at the appropriate places.
“They need to do a thorough investigation to know those who have committed this and bring them to book.
“Let justice prevail. I am not a party to this. Like I said earlier, the state government is aware. They know the turbulence I have been going through even up till now.
“As we speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently to invite those who are fighting me in the kingdom to a meeting to reconcile whatever differences so that they can allow me go into the kingdom and start to rule as the monarch of the place.
“I have not been able to set up anything. I haven’t been able to set up my traditional council. I have done nothing in the Kingdom.
“So I barely know anything right now. I have no information, I know nothing.
“I am only just in the process to set up a structure to enable me rule in the kingdom before this whole thing happened.”
Others declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters over their alleged roles in the recent killing of 17 military personnel on a peace-keeping mission include Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Reuben Baru and Igoli Ebi.
Credit- Nation
