Chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area, Friday Ovoke Warri, has warned against imminent violence in Isoko nation followed the arrest of Isoko-born comedian Ajirioghene Otagba, popularly known as MC 2Kingdom.
The Nigeria Police Force had on Friday last week arrested and detained MC 2Kingdom on the alleged order of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contractor Matthew Edevbie, over a Facebook video he posted on his timeline in which he questioned the abandonment of the Isoko 132 KVA substation electricity project.
Following the video’s release, SaharaReporters learned that the contractor, Matthew Edevbie, an elder brother of former Delta State finance commissioner and 2014 and 2023 PDP governorship aspirant David Edevbie filed a petition of defamation and cyberstalking against Otagba.
The comedian who was subsequently arrested by the IG Monitoring Unit in Lagos State, has been transferred to the Maitama Area Command in Abuja.
Reacting to the comedian arrest, the chairman of Isoko South council area of Delta state, Friday Ovoke Warri has warned against imminent violence in Isoko nation and urged the Inspector General of Police to as a matter of urgency and importance guarantee the safety and release of the Isoko entertainer arrested following a public outcry over an abandoned project in Isoko land.
Warri, who cautioned against the imminent breakdown of law and order due to rising concerns among the Isoko youths regarding the arrest of Otagba (aka MC 2Kingdom) for publicly criticising the abandoned 132KVA substation electricity project at Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North council area, awarded to Income Electrix Limited owned by Matthew Edevbie, which has been stalled for nearly a decade, urged the contractor to secure his immediate release and implement alternative measures to address the delayed execution of the project, which has become a public concern.
According to him, despite the Isoko nation’s significant contribution of natural resources to the nation, the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), has accumulated abandoned projects across the Isoko nation spanning several decades and notably is the Uzere-Patani road and the 132KVA substation electricity project, which has generated tension across Isoko land since the arrest of the entertainer who shared footage of the abandoned project on his social media page, prompting his arrest, which the contractor termed as defamation and cyber stalking.
The council boss also expressed fears that the agitation for the entertainer’s release necessitates a timely intervention of the Inspector General of Police to prevent the youths from causing unrest across Isoko nation, adding that his administration had declared its intention to establish a “new regime” aimed at alleviating the concerns of citizens in Isoko South.
Warri however thanked various stakeholders who are working behind the scene in public spaces to ensure the issue does not result in a breakdown of law and order due to concerns of Isoko youths.
