Okuama Killings: Charge or Release Detainees, Rights Activist Urges Military
A human rights advocate and legal practitioner, Frank Tietie, has called on Nigerian military authorities to either formally charge or immediately release individuals arrested in connection with the 2024 killings of soldiers in Okuama community, Delta State.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Tietie expressed deep concern over what he described as the prolonged and unconstitutional detention of several Okuama indigenes without trial, nearly two years after the tragic incident that claimed the lives of Nigerian Army personnel.
The lawyer acknowledged the gravity of the allegations surrounding the killing of soldiers, stressing that such acts pose a serious threat to national security. However, he maintained that adherence to the rule of law remains paramount, warning that failure to follow due process undermines justice and democratic principles.
Tietie particularly criticized the military’s alleged continued detention of key community figures, including Dr. Arthur Ekpekpo, a Professor of Physics at Delta State University and President-General of Okuama Community/Ewu Development Union, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Dennis Amalaka, and Mabel Owhemu. According to him, the individuals have been held since 2024 without being arraigned before a competent court.
He further alleged that one of the detainees, James Achovwuko Oghoroko, reportedly died while in military custody, while another, Pa Dennis Okugbaye, was released on health grounds after falling ill.
Describing the situation as a “flagrant violation” of constitutional rights, Tietie argued that indefinite detention without trial contravenes provisions guaranteeing personal liberty and fair hearing under Nigerian law.
“While I do not condone criminality under any guise, there can be no justification whatsoever for the indefinite detention of any Nigerian citizen on mere suspicion,” he said.
The legal practitioner also faulted the military’s reported destruction of Okuama community in a reprisal following the clash with neighboring Okoloba community, describing the action as regrettable and excessive.
Tietie emphasized that where credible evidence exists, suspects should be promptly charged to court to allow for transparent judicial proceedings.
“If there is evidence linking any detainee to the killing of soldiers, the lawful course is simple—charge them to court. Anything short of this is arbitrariness,” he added.
He warned that the government risks eroding public confidence if it continues to act outside the framework of the law, noting that selective justice threatens the foundation of democratic governance.
Calling for urgent intervention, Tietie appealed to key stakeholders, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and prominent Niger Delta leader Government Ekpemupolo, to ensure that justice is served.
He urged authorities to either release the detainees or charge them without further delay, insisting that the time already spent in custody is sufficient for any meaningful investigation.
Tietie also acknowledged his personal connection to the issue, noting that many of the detainees are of Urhobo extraction, a group with which he shares ancestral ties. Nonetheless, he maintained that his intervention is rooted in legal and constitutional principles rather than ethnic considerations.
He concluded by warning that justice delayed in the case amounts not only to justice denied but to justice subverted.
“Nigeria must not become a nation where liberty is conditional and justice is selective. It is in the interest of all, especially the government, to ensure that the rule of law prevails,” he said.
