The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to investigate the gruesome murder of Cyril Obruche in Ovr-Eko community, Ethiope East LGA of Delta State by an officer of the Nigerian Army attached to Presco Plc facility in the area.
The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Ben Rollands Igbakpa (Delta,PDP) on the matter by the House at plenary on the floor of the House.
Debating the motion, Ibakpa noted that
on 28th March, 2022, an Army Officer attached to Presco Plc shot
dead in broad day light, an 18 years old Cyril Obruche, a secondary school
student of Delta Steel Company (DSC) Staff School, Ovwian – Aladja, Delta
State.
He further said that Presco Plc without recourse to the community and the relevant government agencies in the State unilaterally erected a gate on the only access road constructed by the Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) to enable the community access their farms for their livelihood.
The lawmaker had said that the deceased with several members of the Ovre-Eko community had on the fateful day visited the Management of Presco Plc to complain over the gate as obstructing their access to their farms and requested that the company should remove the said gate from the road or create an alternative road for them.
He said: “further informed that while discussions were on going, an Army officer attached to the Company brought out his AK-47 rifle and shot the
deceased–Cyril Obruche (who died on the spot).
“The actions of the Army
Officer triggered spontaneous protests and demonstrations by members of
the community which led to breakdown of law and order”.
The Delta born lawmaker expressed worries asking why the Army Officer in apparent display of raw power shot dead a harmless citizen of this country with impunity and without legal
justification.
He also expressed concerns nothing that despite the spite of insecurity in the country, officers and
men of the Nigerian Army are stationed at a peaceful community and
attached to a private palm oil producing company that purchases fresh fruit bunches and palm kernel from farmers,
whereas such officer(s) ought to have been deployed to trouble spots of
the country requiring army personnel to help combat insurgency and
secure the lives and property of the people.
He also said that he believes that there should be appropriate machineries put in place to unravel why officers and men of the Nigerian Army are posted to guard private companies when their services are urgently needed elsewhere.
He argued that they should thoroughly investigate the circumstances that led to the gruesome murder the young Cyril Obruche by the said Army officer with a view to bringing the
culprit(s) to book.
He added that the security of lives and property of the once peaceful
Ovre-Eko community in Ethiope East LGA of Delta State may no longer be
guaranteed if the circumstances surrounding the murder is not investigated
The House presided over by the Deputy Speaker Hon.Idris Wase unanimously adopted the motion with a voice vote.
The House directed the Chief of Army Staff to forthwith redeploy the officers and men of the Nigerian Army attached to Presco Plc in Ovre-Eko
community in Ethiope East LGA of Delta State.
It also directed the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that the Presco Plc
immediately remove the gate it erected across the farm access road
in the affected community to forestall further breakdown of law and
order.
The green chamber also directed the management of Presco Plc to compensate the deceased
family without delay and the House Committee on Army to appraise why Army personnel are drafted to guard a private company whereas they are overstretched to meet the security
demands of the country.
The esteemed House Committee is also mandated to investigate all the circumstances that led to the gruesome murder of Cyril Obruche and to report back to the House within two weeks;
