Delta State Police Command has begun a full-scale manhunt for the Owelle of Onicha-Olona, Chief Jerry Nkeeshe, and members of an armed group accused of orchestrating a deadly attack that left three youths dead near ‘B’ Division, Asaba, on November 24, 2025.
In a statement issued Tuesday by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe, the Command said preliminary findings indicate that the embattled chief allegedly led a team comprising vigilantes and suspected cultists — some dressed in Army camouflage — to a disputed land in Okwe community, along the Asaba–Onitsha Road, in a violent attempt to assert ownership.
According to the police, the group stormed the area to enforce an unauthorised quit notice, despite lacking a court order to justify the action. Their presence reportedly met resistance, escalating into a confrontation during which the armed group opened fire indiscriminately, inflicting gunshot wounds on three youths. The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital but were confirmed dead shortly afterwards.
Describing the attack as “unprovoked, reckless, and a brazen display of lawlessness,” the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Abaniwonda, immediately ordered the deployment of tactical units, intelligence operatives, and specialised investigators to track and apprehend all suspects involved.
“The command will not tolerate such criminality under any guise,” the police boss warned, stressing that no individual — regardless of title, influence, or backing — will be shielded from prosecution.
He called on residents of Onicha-Olona, Asaba, Okwe, and adjoining communities to support the ongoing operation by providing credible information that could lead to their arrests.
He also assured the public that normalcy has been restored in the affected area, with intensified intelligence-led patrols and coordinated search operations to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
In other news, tension gripped Kwale, headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Monday as students of Otagba-Ogbe Girls Secondary School fled their classrooms following fears of an alleged herdsmen attack.
But the Police authorities swiftly dismissed it as false and capable of inciting unnecessary chaos.
The panic reportedly began when students sighted two herdsmen entering the school premises from the rear, prompting a stampede as they ran out of their classrooms, triggering widespread alarm across the community.
A community source said the fear was rooted in earlier rumours circulating over the weekend that herdsmen were seen around the school’s surroundings.
“Everyone is on alert. The truth is that there were rumours that some herdsmen were spotted near the school on Saturday,” the source said. “Today, as they were learning, two herdsmen entered the school compound from the back.
“Whether they were looking for their cattle, I don’t know. There had been information that an attack could happen at any moment due to issues between the herdsmen and the host community.”
