ASABA: The Delta State Police Command has declared the Owelle of Onicha-Olona, Chief Jerry Nkeeshe, and members of an armed group wanted in connection with the killing of three youths near B Division in Asaba on November 24, 2025.
The declaration was contained in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe.
According to Edafe, preliminary investigations indicate that Chief Nkeeshe allegedly led a team of vigilantes and suspected cultists some reportedly dressed in Army camouflage to a disputed parcel of land in Okwe community along the Asaba–Onitsha Road in an attempt to enforce ownership.
The group proceeded to issue and enforce an unauthorised quit notice without any court order, Edafe said.
He explained that the illegal operation met resistance, sparking a violent confrontation. Members of the armed group allegedly opened fire indiscriminately, leaving three young men with severe gunshot wounds. They were later confirmed dead at the hospital.
In swift response, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, ordered the deployment of tactical teams, intelligence units, and special investigators to track down everyone involved.
The CP condemned the attack as a reckless and unprovoked display of lawlessness, warning that no individual regardless of title or influence would be shielded from justice.
He appealed to residents of Onicha-Olona, Asaba, and surrounding communities to assist the command with credible information as the manhunt intensifies.
Abaniwonda also assured that normalcy has been restored to the area. He noted that surveillance, intelligence-led patrols, and coordinated search operations are ongoing to prevent further breaches of peace.
