The Owelle of Onicha-Olona, Chief Jerry Nkeweshe, has requested that the Delta State Police Command retract a statement linking him to the killing of three youths in the Okwe community near Asaba.
The police had previously announced a manhunt for Nkeweshe and others alleged to have led an armed group that attacked the community on November 24.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing.
However, in a reaction made on Wednesday by his lawyer, Kelechi Nnadi, Nkeweshe denied any role in the incident and called the Delta State Police Command’s statement incorrect and damaging to his name.
According to Nnadi, his client was neither in Okwe nor anywhere near Asaba during the attack. He claimed Nkeweshe went to Umunede for medical attention earlier that morning and stayed there all day in the company of witnesses.
“On the morning of November 24, 2025, Chief Nkeweshe departed Asaba at about 8:30 a.m. to attend to medical concerns in Umunede, where he remained throughout the day with credible witnesses, including Mr. Ifeanyi Okolo and Mr. Emmanuel Anwuzia,” the lawyer stated.
He further stated that Nkeweshe returned to Asaba later in the evening to confer with his legal representatives in preparation for a court appearance slated for the following day at the Delta State High Court, Issele-Uku.
“It is therefore impossible for him to have participated in or led any armed group in Okwe on November 24,” he said.
Nnadi also urged the Commissioner of Police to clarify portions of the police statement, such as reports from meetings with interested parties. He stated that if such allegations were erroneous, the relevant authorities were allowed to openly dispute them.
He also stated that his client had previously faced complaints that were later dropped following investigations and that Nkeweshe saw the recent claims as part of a pattern of harassment.
Nkeweshe has given the Commissioner of Police and the Police Public Relations Officer 14 days to retract the statement and clarify the allegation.
Failure to comply may result in legal action for defamation, malicious falsehood, and abuse of office, as well as petitions to oversight bodies.
“We hereby issue a 14-day ultimatum for the retraction of the publication and a public clarification. Failure to comply will leave us with no option but to initiate legal proceedings and file formal complaints before the Police Service Commission and other relevant bodies,” he said.
The lawyer also requested investigators to collect relevant location information and conduct an open and unbiased investigation into the Okwe tragedy.
He urged journalists to verify sensitive information before publishing it in order to avoid misinforming the public or endangering lives.
Nnadi reaffirmed that the disputed land matter mentioned in certain media is currently before a competent court and should not be linked to the killings.
“Chief Jerry Nkeweshe remains a law-abiding citizen and will continue to rely on the justice system to protect his name and constitutional rights,” the statement added.
