The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ordered the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, to produce the detained President General of the agrarian Ewu Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Prof Arthur Ekpekpo, in court at the next adjourned date of September 30, 2025.

Justice H. A. Ngajiwa gave the order on Monday, during the hearing of the bail request for Prof Ekpekpo in the suit No: FHC/WR/CS/42/2024, filed before it by the Okuama community.

Prof Ekpekpo, Mr Julius Oghoroko, Mr Bernard Esegba and others were arrested in 2024 over the killing of 17 soldiers who were purported to be on a peace mission in the Okuama community.

Other Okuama leaders arrested by the military between August 18 and 20, 2024, were the President General of the Okuama Community, Pa James Oghoroko; Treasurer, Pa Dennis Okugbaye, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Pa Anthony Ahwemuria and Mrs Rita Akata.

Pa Oghoroko died in a military cell on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

Pa Okugbaye, who was also among those detained, reportedly collapsed in the military cell and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

They were all arrested after the initial invasion of the community by the military, which forced residents to flee and take custody at the internally displaced camp established by the Delta State Government at Ewu.

Following the detention, the community filed a case in court, seeking the release of all their detained leaders.

Earlier before the Monday hearing, counsel for Prof Ekpekpo, Dr Jonathan Ekperusi Esq, had filed and submitted a motion on notice seeking bail for the community President General before the Court.

In its ruling over the bail request, the court ordered “the third and fifth respondents to produce the first applicant (Prof Arthur Ekpekpo) on the next adjourned date.”

The court order read, “After hearing Dr Jonathan Ekperusi Esq, counsel for the applicants, the court, having considered the circumstances of the case, hereby ordered as follows: ‘An order is made against the 3rd and 5th respondents to produce the 1st applicant (Prof Arthur Ekpekpo) in court on the next adjourned date.

“The order is also to be served on the second respondent, the Attorney-General of the Federation.

“The case is adjourned to the 30th day of September 2025 for hearing of the pending motion for bail.”

The Director, Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, did not pick up his calls and was yet to respond to the message sent to him on the matter as of the time of filling this report.

The PUNCH reported that the lawmaker representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ede Dafinone, while reacting to the news of the death of Okuama President General in military detention in December 2024, called on the military authorities to release Prof Ekpekpo, Chief Adogbo, Pa Okugbaye, Pa Ahwemuria and Mrs Akata unconditionally or charge them to a civil court without further delay. (PUNCH)