The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reportedly issued an apology to Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, for summoning him to discuss alleged cases of attempted murder and assault, among others.
The Delta State Police Command had reportedly invited the monarch based on a petition.
In response, the Olu of Warri, represented by his palace secretary Kenneth Uyebi, dismissed the invitation as the work of troublemakers within the Itsekiri community.
The Warri Area Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abubakar, has since offered an unreserved apology to the Olu of Warri.
He said, “The very next day, the Area Commander called to apologize to the palace that the letter of invitation on his majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri was sent in error but I also advised him to cause a letter of retrieval to that effect. His Majesty is law-abiding and encourages all his subjects to be law-abiding.
“If there was an invitation as you said, His Majesty would have honoured it but the Area Command has withdrawn the one they sent in error and has not sent another letter as we speak.
“It is also on record that that very weekend, the Warri Area Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Abubakar, on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force, personally came to the palace after his phone calls, to personally tender an unreserved apology to His Majesty, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, that the letter was sent in error and therefore withdrawn.
“He informed the monarch that after investigations, it was discovered that the monarch had been dragged into what he knew nothing about. We are not saying the Olu of Warri is above the law, he was prepared to honour the invitation but as at the time the letter came, he was not in town.”
Also reacting to the police invitation letter to the Olu of Warri and recent attacks on Okere community, the Chairman of Okere Community Management Committee/Planning Committee, Ugwa Olu, Fred Olomuro, in a statement, noted that an attack was carried out on the monarch during his visit to the area.
He identified the attackers as a group of recalcitrant people loyal to a former chief.
Also, two prominent Warri chiefs from Okere community, Koffi Kartey and Wilson Olley confirmed that during the attacks, the entourage of the Olu of Warri was attacked by youths loyal to one of the sons of the soil.
“As part of His Majesty’s schedule of visits across the communities in his domain, on the 2nd day of March, 2024, the Olu of Warri paid a visit to the community in a very well publicized program of events attended by teeming sons and daughters of the community as well as Itsekiris from all walks of life.
