A resident has refuted the assertion that General Endurance Amagbein, the leader of the runway militants, is from Okuama. This came amid the ongoing dispute surrounding the March 14 killings of the 17 soldiers at Okuama town in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State.
Recall that the Nigerian Army had declared Amagbein and seven other people wanted after the soldiers were killed.
A community leader who is a resident stated in an interview with Vanguard on Monday that Amagbein is not related to Okuama, motherly or fatherly.
He denied knowing anyone by the name of Amagbein and stated they never extended an invitation to him to visit Okuama.
He continued by saying that Okuama people are poor individuals who are only trying to live. He claimed that while some of the young people work in the production of palm oil, the majority are farmers. He declared that there is no connection between oil bunkering and the Okuama people.
He emphasized, "The Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, knows it is an oil bunkering matter, and Amagbein attacked his men. Okuama people do not have a hand in the killing of the soldiers or inviting Amagbein."
"Our youths have no connection to Amagbein, and there is nothing like that. When you get to Okuama-Ewu, you will see that all the youths are struggling for their lives."
"You will see some of them working in palm oil production; some are farmers and anglers, and they do different works to survive. So they do not have any connection with anybody called Amagbein."