OKPOKUNOU COMMUNITY UNDER SIEGE OF A DESPOTIC TRADITIONAL RULER; AGGRIEVED FAMILIES ALLEGE CONSPIRACY WITH THE POLICE; SPDC

9thNovember, 2011
The Assistant Inspector General of Police
Zone 5, Benin-City,
Edo State.

Sir,
RE: STEALING AND CONTINUED THREAT TO THE LIFE OF HON. KINGDOM TARE-OTU OF OKPOKUNOU COMMUNITY BY HRM PERE CHARLES AYEMI-BOTU (JP), MESSRS TEIKEMEPADE ZIBOKEYERIN, BENAYEI BERAKORU, MATTHEW THANKGOD, SECRETARY AMBGBARA, PRESTER KODOKOR AND OTHERS ALL OF OKPOKUNOU COMMUNITY IN BURUTU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE

We have been briefed and our professional legal services retained by HON KINGDOM TARE-OUT of Okpokunou community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”) pursuant to whose very firm and specific instructions to act in connection with the hereinabove contained subject matter we hereby petition your security conscious office as follows:

1.0: That our client informed us that on Friday the 4th day of November 2011, he was sleeping in one of his brother's house and received a call from his wife Edith Kingdom that HRM PERE CHARLES AYEMI-BOTU (JP) was making moves to arrest him with police and take him to Area command Warri in Delta State and that our client should look for somewhere to hide himself.

1.01: That our client also informed us that based on the said information and to avoid trouble, he went into hiding only to return home in the evening.

1.02: That our client further informed us that while he was away, three armed Mobile Policemen suspected to be escorts to HIS MAJESTY including one Lander Force No: 160882 with cell phone No: 08035743173 and Messrs Teikemepade Zibokeyerin, Benayei Berakoru, Matthew ThankGod, Secretary Amgbara, Prester Kodokor and several others traced him to his house and when they could not see our Client, and on instruction of Matthew ThankGod threatened to arrest his wife and when she heard the said order to arrest her, she had to run to save her her dear life only to return to her house to discover that they made away with the sum of (One Hundred Thousand) N100,000.00 only she had kept in the house.

1.03: That our client also informed us that on Saturday the 5th day of November, 2011, for security reasons, he was again sleeping in his brother one SHELL'S house when one Hardwood Woto and the three Mobile Policemen being escorts to HIS MAJESTY went to our client's house in the absence of both our client and his wife.

1.04: That our client informed us that one of his Cousins Sobukeme Konboye and one of his Cousin's wife Anebrafa Shell saw them enter into his house and asked them what they were doing in our client's house but they never disclosed their mission to his house.

1.05 It is our client's further story that he heard gun shots from his hideout including the voice of HIS MAJESTY in front of the community that the Mobile Policemen should waste them One Sunday Ezonfade and Supol Thompson Ogbosain who was in Yenagoa Bayelsa State and while the Policemen were firing into the air, our client called him to inform him of the plans of HIS MAJESTY and the latter was also hearing the gun shots through the phone.

1.06: That on the 6th day of November, 2011 being Sunday, our client was at home while Supol Thompson Ogbosain went to Ayamasa town in Bayelsa State to ascertain and verify some discreet information relating to sea pirates and illegal Bunkers and it was when our client got this information that he left home and went to wait for Supol Thompson Ogbosain at the landing jetty and informed him of HIS MAJESTY'S plans towards them.

1.07: That out of the (3) three persons, our client, Sunday Ezonfade and Supol Thompson Ogbosain HIS MAJESTY gave orders to waste, it was only our client that was at home while the other persons were not at home.

1.08: That on the same 6th day of November, 2011, HIS MAJESTY also engaged the services of some EX-militants including Secretary Amgbara, Hardwood Woto and the (3) armed Mobile Policemen, extended their drag net to the Bomadi-Ohoror road and laid ambush along same with the hope of wasting the life of our client and that of Supol Thompson Ogbosain on our return to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

1.09: That our client and Supol Thompson Ogbosain for their safety and to avoid falling prey to the hands of HIS MAJESTY and to his co-horts had to escape to Yenagoa, through the waterways as Supol Thompson Ogbosain abandoned his Car at Bomadi Delta State, only to send some junior officers under him to bring the car to him the next day being the 7th day of November, 2011.

1.10: That our client had earlier briefed us to petition the Commissioner of Police Delta State Police Command on the threat to his life by HIS MAJESTY which petition was assigned to the General Investigation Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department Asaba, Delta State which petition is still under investigation and pending at the State Criminal Investigation (S.C.I.D) Asaba, Delta State.

2.0: That our client's life is in danger as the activities of HIS MAJESTY and his co-horts are geared towards terminating our client's life thus he cannot sleep in his house and community but to seek refuge in neighboring communities for his safety.

2.01: That since the suspects broke into our client's house on the 6thday of November, 2011, he has not been to his house for fear of being wasted and is yet to ascertain and verify the items and/ or valuables that were removed from his house as our client's wife is also among persons wanted by HIS MAJESTY.

2.02 That it is in view of the foregoing that our client has instructed us to petition your security conscious office for the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the suspects most particularly those persons that are found wanting in the course of investigation.

2.03: That our client has also promised you and/or your office that he is ever ready, prepared, willing and minded to attending your scheduled interview sessions in connection with the above subject matter whenever he is called upon.

2.04: Finally, we do sincerely hope that your office will waste no time but give this petition the urgency and the best treatment it deserves.

Thanks for your usual and anticipated Co-operation, please.

Truly Yours.
DOUBRA OKPORU
PP: Enetimi Law Firm (“Solicitor”)

CC:
The Commanding Officer,
Operation Restore Hope, Joint task Force,
Bomadi- Delta state

ALL THESE PETITIONS WERE WRITTEN SINCE 2011 AND THE POLICE, SSS AND THE DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT HAVE ALLOWED THIS BRAZEN LAWLESSNESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS TO CONTINUE WITHOUT CALLING THE TRADITIONAL RULER TO ORDER. NOW THE AFFECTED PEOPLE ARE ON EXILE; THEIR HOUSES BURNT AND THEIR PROPERTY DESTROYED