Exile: Niger Delta Youths Begs Nigeria Military For Freedom Of Lord Agbuke – The Liberator
Says He Is Innocent
By Binebai Princewill
A group operating under the auspices of Niger Delta for Peace and Development (NDPD) has called on the Nigeria Military to urgently grant freedom to Felix Odowu, a former Niger Delta militant leader, popularly known as Lord Agbuke.
Defending the self styled Gen. Felix Odowu in a statement issued to newsmen in Benin, capital of Edo State yesterday by the national President of Niger Delta for Peace and Development (NDPD), Amb. Adolphus Binanawei, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspaper, the group noted that Lord Agbuke has suffered chronically for too long in exile for a crime he did not commit.
Speaking on the ordeal faced by Gen. Felix Odowu, the group maintained that it all started on Friday October 7th 2018 himself, loyalists and family members were preparing for a church programme at his hometown in Ajakurama, Egbema Kingdom, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State at Zion Church Foundation when news came that a soldier was killed by unknown gunmen at Ofunama junction and that soldiers are looking for Lord Agbuke over the matter.
“It all happened in the year 2018 Friday October 7, when the news entered Ajakurama town that one soldier was killed at Ofunama junction, as everybody was surprised and amazed of the news, the information filtered into town that at the moment, Zion Church foundation was preparing for their revival celebration service. Lord Agbuke with members were doing cleaning of the church premises against Sunday service as they invited other coastal churches to join them in the celebration.
“Suddenly the news entered Ajakurama community that they killed one army at Ofunama junction as the news entered into town and they brought the corpse from Ofunama junction which is quite far from Ajakurama community.
“As everyone was lamenting, the corpse had entered the town already information has gotten to army in Koko so troops started entering Ajakurama community in their numbers.
“It got to a particular moment somebody came to inform Agbuke that the army people are looking for him, hence he should be careful, before we could know soldiers has taken over everywhere in the Zion”. NDPD stated.
The group noted that in 2017, similar false allegation has been levelled against Gen. Felix which led to the burning down of nine (9) houses in the Zion that he was habouring militants in his house.
The story continued that from October 7th 2018 to this very moment, Lord Agbuke has been on exile running from one forest to the other with no clear means of survival, leaving behind his wives, children and aged mother who can barely feed owing to the military declaring him wanted over the death of the said soldier.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta for Peace and Development maintained that in what has appeared to be vindacating Lord Agbuke over the death of the soldier, early this year, it has been alleged that the military was able to nab some hoodlums who later confessed in Koko, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State that they were a group of five man gang that killed the soldier at Ofunama junction, stressing that Lord Agbuke was innocent of the soldier’s death.
NDPD alleged that the military have since recovered the gun belonging to the soldier murdered by the hoodlums, adding that it was recovered from the said apprehended criminal gang, wondering on why Lord Agbuke has not yet been declared a free man even after finding out the truth about the matter.
The group revealed that the confession the said criminal gang made at army base in Koko is the same statement they made at DSS, Four brigade and state CID Benin, Edo State.
Nevertheless, the Niger Delta based group had called on the military to urgently declare Felix Odowu a free man as he cannot continue to suffer for a crime he did not commit.
They insisted that the top military hierarchy must take note on this matter for the freedom of Lord Agbuke who has suffered so much in exile.
