Fred Itua, Abuja
The TIV Youth Council, Worldwide, has petitioned the Chairman of Aniocha North Local Government Traditional Council in Delta State, over its planned conferment on one Chukwunonso Nwoko as the Obi of Idimuje-Ugboko Autonomous Area of Aniocha Local Government of Delta State.
The Council in a statement signed by it President, Mike Msuaan, explained that the petition against Nwoko is based on his alleged involvement in the gruesome murder of two Nigerian, Mr. Innocent Iloh And Mr. Cyprian Kumaoron.
It therefore urged the local government council and the traditional institution to step down all pre-existing and existing considerations to install and confer the staff of office of an Obi to Nwoko in Idumuje-Ugboko Traditional Area of Delta State.
Msuaan said: “Tiv Youth Council urges all concerned to recall that on the 24th of May 2017, at about 10 AM,one Cyprian Kumaoron who at all material times was a commercial motorcyclist(Okada rider) in Idumuje-Ugboko village in Aniocha Local Government in Delta was abducted and gruesomely murdered with his body dismembered and taken to unidentified destination up till the time of this report.”
The group disclosed that the the matter was reported to the Nigeria Police by the father of the deceased, Mr. Moses Iorkase who is an indigene of Benue State.
It further stated that the investigation by the Police and findings into the matter revealed that Nwoko acting in concert with others contributed to the killing of Mr. Kumaoron.
According Tiv Youth Council, one Innocent Iloh was equally murdered allegedly by above mentioned suspect in a similar manner that Mr. Kumaoron was brutally killed.
“The Tiv Youth Council wishes to establish that in line with the establishment of facts, witnesses and findings by the Nigeria Police, the above suspects are presently under police prosecution as charged for the offence of murder of Cyprian Kumaoron and punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C. 21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria,2007.
“It stresses that with all intents and purposes,it is her concerned and patriotic position that any individual who is charged with a capital offence such as the killing another human being ordinarily,carries on his head an offence against the state and should not hold any office of public trust until the determination of such a case by a competent court of jurisdiction,” the council noted.
It added that its shared petition to the chairman of Aniocha Local Government Council of Chiefs against one of the suspects (Nwoko) in the murder case of Mr. Kumaoron and Mr. Iloh, is that Nwoko cannot occupy the position, pending the final determination of the case of murder against him by a competent court of jurisdiction.
“The Tiv Youth Council holds that this step is to guarantee public trust and confidence in the office of the traditional stool of Obi and to circumvent all forms of apprehensions and agitations arising from the gruesome killings of those innocent citizens of Nigeria,” it added.