The Vice Chairman of, the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, says his earnest desire is to see that peace is restored in the troubled Okuama Community, Ughelli South Local Government Area as well as other affected communities following the March 14 tragedy.Senator Joel-Onowakpo, an astute administrator and financial guru, stated that apart from appealing for the release of the Monarch during the visit, other issues relating to how peace would be restored for the return of members of the community who fled in the wake of the incident were also discussed.
He added that they were saddened by the killing of the soldiers in the Okuama community, noting that the incident has truncated the peace in the community and the state in general.
According to him, there’s a need for all stakeholders to work expediently towards ensuring that peace returns to the area.
“We are all worried, Deltans and Nigerians are worried over the development in Okuama and its environs.
“We have condemned, sympathized and expressed concerns. We have also commiserated with the military and families of those who died as a result of the unfortunate incident.”
“It is time to make peace and it must be holistic. Whatever will bring about permanent peace in the community, Delta State and Nigeria, in general, is what we stand for.
“It is my desire to see that peace returns to the troubled area as soon as possible. I wish to use this medium to appeal to all those involved in the peace process to expedite action to see that peace is restored.”
“One thing we must know is that no community, state or nation progresses in a crisis. Therefore we must all embrace peace to enthrone development in our communities.
“I wish to also use this medium to express appreciation to my colleagues in the senate from Delta State Senator Ned Nwoko, Delta North and Senator Ede Dafinone, Delta Central for the understanding and love they have demonstrated.
“Peace and development do not discriminate. We must ensure we continue to work for the overall interest of our people in spite of our political divide,” he pleaded.
While calling for calm and the release of the detained monarch, he restated the importance of avoiding all forms of crises that may lead to the killing of security officers in the state, saying that no society thrives under crises.
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