*Delta Police Confirms Arrest
*PDP Ward Chairman Married To Okowa’s Special Assistant
By Onome Oghenetega & Ovie Okpare
Military operatives have arrested Mr. Christopher Irivi-Ukulubu, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Chairman for Igbide ward in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State with a gun and other ammunition over the raging crisis between Igbide and Emede communities.
Mr. Irivi-Ukulubu was arrested alongside two other suspects who allegedly carried out heinous attacks on Emede community during the communal crisis that resulted in the death of at least five persons.
The Igbide ward PDP chairman is also the husband of the Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Women Development, Mrs. Rose Irivi.
Sources told NIGER DELTA TODAY Online that the suspects were allegedly apprehended when soldiers stormed both communities to restore peace in the area on Thursday.
Security sources told our correspondent that Mr. Irivi-Ukulubu, his 50s, was caught red-handed with the ammunition while allegedly preparing to launch another attack on their neighbouring community over a land dispute.
Other incriminating items including guns were also alleged to have been recovered from his car during further checks.
The three suspects were arrested at their hideouts in one of the government schools in the community.
He was said to have been under military interrogation until he was handed to the Delta State Police Command through the Oleh Police Division on Friday.
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It was gathered that some PDP chieftains who are embarrassed with the development are already making moves to give the suspect a soft landing over the incident.
When contacted on Saturday, the chairman of Isoko South LGA, Sir Malik Itiako Ikpokpo, said he was not aware of the arrest of the PDP chairman, but claimed he was in the know that some suspects have been arrested with the massive destruction in both communities.
Ikpokpo, who was elected on the PDP platform, said his primary preoccupation was to restore peace to the two warring communities as well as to ensure that those involved in the “carnage” paid for their sins.
“Investigation is still going. I am more focused on restoring peace to both communities but all the criminals will be arrested. I don’t want to focus on who was arrested and who was not.
“What i can assure you is that everybody that was involved in the carnage will be arrested. I don’t have all the details now but i know some arrests have been made”, the Isoko South chairman stated.
When asked to confirm the arrest of the PDP chairman with ammunition, he said, “I can’t confirm”, adding that he does not also know the number of persons that have been arrested by security agencies.
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However, the Delta State Police Command confirmed the arrest of the PDP chairman, Mr. Irivi-Ukulubu, by military operatives.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, who confirmed the arrest to NIGER DELTA TODAY (NDT) Online, said the police had commenced investigation into the incident.
Recall that no fewer than five persons were reportedly killed since the outbreak of violence on Wednesday between both communities, while properties worth millions of naira had been destroyed.
The two isoko communities have been at loggerheads for years as a result of boundary dispute.
The age-long boundary dispute between 1986 and 1987 caused the death of over a hundred persons and destruction of several houses.
The crisis led to the suspension of the two traditional rulers of Igbide and Emede Kingdoms by the Isoko South Council on Friday with the President-General of Igbide Community declared wanted.
