The Owelle of Onicha-Olona, Chief Jerry Nkeweshe, has called for the immediate withdrawal of a police statement linking him to the killing of three youths in the Okwe community near Asaba, Delta State.
The Delta State Police Command had earlier declared a manhunt for Nkeweshe and others allegedly involved in leading an armed group that attacked the community on November 24, resulting in the deaths of the three young men.
Police spokesperson Bright Edafe confirmed the incident and said the suspects were being sought in connection with the attack.
However, in a response issued through his lawyer, Kelechi Nnadi, on Wednesday, Nkeweshe rejected the allegations, describing the police announcement as untrue and damaging to his reputation.
According to Nnadi, his client was nowhere near Okwe or anywhere within Asaba—on the day of the incident. He explained that Nkeweshe had left Asaba around 8:30 a.m. on November 24 to seek medical treatment in Umunede, where he remained all day in the presence of credible witnesses, including Mr. Ifeanyi Okolo and Mr. Emmanuel Anwuzia.
He added that the chief only returned to Asaba later that evening to meet with his lawyers in preparation for a court case scheduled for the next day at the Delta State High Court in Issele-Uku.
Nnadi stressed that it was impossible for Nkeweshe to have taken part in—or led—any armed attack in Okwe on the said date.
Chief Nkeweshe has now given the Commissioner of Police and the Police Public Relations Officer a 14-day deadline to retract the statement and issue a public clarification clearing him of the allegation.
Nnadi warned that if the police fail to comply, they will proceed with legal action for defamation, malicious falsehood, and abuse of office, in addition to lodging formal complaints with the Police Service Commission and other oversight agencies.
He also urged journalists to verify sensitive allegations before publishing them.
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