…Udu Council Chairman, Another Witness Deny Allegations
By Kenneth Orusi, Managing Editor
Fresh controversy has erupted over the declaration of the Udu State Constituency seat vacant, following allegations that the Chairman of Udu Local Government Council, Chief Vincent Oyibode, allegedly ordered the assault and detention of a lone protester during a church event in Udu, Delta State.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, July 5, has further heightened political tension in the area, where resentment has continued to trail the decision of the Delta State House of Assembly to declare the Udu legislative seat vacant.
According to multiple accounts made available to The Story, the incident happened during a child dedication ceremony held at Free Indeed Church, Udu, near the Mofor area.
The event was reportedly hosted by Godwin Ejiyere, popularly known as Godons said to be the son of a former Okpe monarch, and attended by prominent political figures, including the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, Udu Local Government Chairman, Chief Vincent Oyibode, and other government officials.
Witnesses alleged that a young man from Udu identified as Akiko, arrived at the church premises carrying a placard to protest the declaration of the constituency seat vacant.
The protester was said to have remained outside the church premises without disrupting the service or confronting any official.
However, eyewitnesses alleged that the council chairman allegedly instructed youths loyal to him to descend on the protester, leaving him severely beaten before he was allegedly handed over to the police.
Some witnesses claimed the victim was unable to speak when they later visited him at the police station, raising concerns over the extent of injuries allegedly sustained during the incident.
The allegations have generated outrage among residents, with many questioning why a peaceful protest would allegedly end in violence and police detention.
However, a different version of events has emerged from a community source who said he spoke directly with the council chairman after the incident.
According to the source, Chief Oyibode denied ordering anyone to assault the protester, insisting that no youths were instructed to attack him.
The source said the chairman explained that he personally approached the protester in an attempt to calm tensions over the vacant seat.
According to the account, the chairman informed the young man that prominent political leaders from Udu were already engaging relevant authorities over the development and appealed to him to exercise patience.
The source further claimed that the chairman alleged the protester refused to listen and became confrontational.
Rather than allow the situation to escalate publicly, the chairman allegedly directed that the protester be taken into police custody, maintaining that the decision was intended to prevent further disturbance and that he had no intention of keeping him in detention.
The source added that the chairman described the protester as “his own child” and questioned why he would deliberately inflict harm on someone from the same community over an issue affecting all Udu people.
According to the source, the protester was later released at about 7:00pm on the same day.
The identity of the young man has not been independently confirmed, although sources identified him only by the WhatsApp name “Akiko” and said he is from Ujewu community in Udu.
The incident comes amid growing dissatisfaction over the declaration of the Udu State Constituency seat vacant, a decision that has continued to provoke criticism from sections of the constituency who argue that the people of Udu have been denied representation in the Delta State House of Assembly.
As of press time, the Delta State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the circumstances surrounding the arrest, while no formal complaint regarding the alleged assault had been made public.
The conflicting accounts have intensified calls for an independent investigation to establish whether the protester’s constitutional right to peaceful expression was violated and to determine the exact circumstances surrounding his arrest and the allegations of assault.
Udu Chairman Oyibode Denies Alleged Assault, Says ‘I Do Not Move Around With Thugs’
The Chairman of Udu Local Government Council, Chief Vincent Oyibode, has strongly denied allegations that he ordered the assault of a lone protester, popularly known as “Akiko,” during a church event in Udu, describing the claims as “blatant lies.”
Reacting to the allegations in a telephone conversation, with The Story, Oyibode insisted that video evidence from the incident would show that he appealed for calm and personally intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.
“Those allegations are blatant lies. There are video clips showing that I was appealing to them. Do I move around with thugs? I have never done that. I do not move around with thugs; I move around Udu alone. Anyone can verify that,” he said.
The council chairman described the protesters as youths who had acted inappropriately but maintained that he neither mobilised anyone against them nor ordered any assault.
“The truth is that those boys were simply behaving like hooligans. The video will show that I was talking to them and appealing to them.”
According to him, the situation escalated after some of the protesters allegedly confronted the Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, prompting concerned persons to alert him while he was inside the church service.
Oyibode explained that the event was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, as well as the representative of the Delta State Governor, Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, who attended on behalf of Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
“I was inside the church when I was informed that some persons outside were causing a disturbance. Since Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo came to represent the Governor, it was my responsibility to receive and escort him into the church.”
He said he immediately went outside and appealed to the protesters, stressing that they were all his younger brothers.
“I was appealing to them because they are my younger ones.”
Oyibode disclosed that he personally knew “Akiko” and recalled previously intervening to assist him after an unrelated incident.
“Akiko is someone I know. On one occasion when he had an issue and was seriously beaten, I intervened to settle the matter and even gave him ₦50,000 to assist with his treatment.”
The chairman said he advised the protesters that if they were dissatisfied with the declaration of the Udu State Constituency seat vacant, they should channel their grievances to the appropriate authorities rather than disrupt a church programme.
“I told them this was a church service and asked them to let the programme continue peacefully. If they were unhappy with the action of the House of Assembly, they should take their protest to the Assembly or come to my office at the Udu Local Government Council. There was no need to create confusion during someone’s church service.”
He confirmed that he requested police intervention after leading the protesters away from the church premises.
“I ensured they were moved away from the venue, and I contacted the police, who took Akiko to the station.”
Oyibode said several Udu stakeholders later appealed to him for Akiko’s release, including human rights activist Dr. KihindeTaiga, whom he identified as one of those who personally intervened.
“Many people appealed to me that night. Taiga, the human rights activist, came to me and said the boys had acted wrongly but appealed that I should forgive them because I am their elder brother.
“Following that appeal, I called the Divisional Police Officer and instructed that Akiko be released unconditionally.”
Challenging the allegations against him, the council chairman insisted that no thugs accompanied him throughout the incident.
“Anyone alleging that I came with thugs should identify even one person.”
He added that one of the boys who participated in the protest had visited him to apologise, claiming that he was misled into participating in the protest.
Meanwhile, one of the youths who participated in the protest, Victor Gbeguvwe, also denied allegations that the chairman mobilised thugs against the protesters.
According to Gbeguvwe: “The chairman did not bring anybody there. It was only the chairman who engaged with us. That is the truth.”
At the time of filing this report, repeated calls to Akiko’s telephone line seeking his response went unanswered.
