17/09/2025
THE PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO OKPELLA KING (HON. ABU ABDULGANIYU) REGARDING WHY ENGR LUKMAN AKEMOKUE WAS ARRESTED: Why Lukman Akemokhue Was Arrested: A Pattern of Lawlessness Threatening Okpella’s Peace
The arrest of Engr. Lukman Akemokhue on September 14, 2025, has sparked unnecessary speculation, including unfounded claims of superstition, spiritual or political vendettas. In truth, this development stems from a well-documented history of unlawful actions that have repeatedly threatened lives, eroded community trust, and undermined the fragile peace in Okpella. As custodians of truth and advocates for justice, The Palace Watch urges a clear-eyed examination of the facts, free from distortion.
For some time now, Akemokhue has demonstrated a troubling reliance on men in military uniforms who are not officially deployed to Okpella command but instead serve him illegally to coerce compliance and pursue personal agendas.
You will recall that the last time Lukman Akemokhue brought in these same illegal soldiers to Okpella, about three people lost their lives.
On the night of September 14, 2025, credible intelligence placed Akemokhue at Okhu village, where he covertly visited a gathering of herbalists and self-proclaimed spiritual practitioners, individuals he has allegedly consulted on several occasions to orchestrate fe**sh rituals aimed at sowing discord. Such consultations, investigators believe, are linked to the escalating crises in our once-peaceful community, including unexplained losses of lives and the heartbreaking kidnappings of vulnerable children, particularly young girls. During interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Akemokhue reportedly admitted to the visit of the witch doctors/herbalists but offered only feeble, unconvincing justifications, further fueling suspicions of his role in ritual-linked instability.
It is suspected that information about the presence of the local vigilantes at the various entry and exit points of the roads leading to Okhu village leaked to Mr. Akemokhue, prompting him to immediately contact these men to provide cover. Upon seeing strange men in military uniforms around the vicinity, the vigilantes quickly involved the Divisional Police Officer and the recognized military leadership in Okpella, who later confirmed the irregularity. The matter was escalated, leading to his arrest, detention, and arraignment.
This incident cannot be divorced from broader unrest. Just days earlier, on September 5, 2025, eight dedicated officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), attached to BUA Cement Company’s operations in Okpella, were ambushed and brutally slain while escorting expatriates. Preliminary investigations indicated the attackers wielded military-grade fi****ms, raising grave concerns about the involvement of the same illegal operatives Akemokhue has historically mobilized. In the wake of this tragedy, his associates wasted no time weaponizing the grief, launching baseless smears against the throne of His Royal Majesty, Engineer Michael Olorufemi Sado, branding him incompetent and fanning flames of ancestral and communal strife.
What has also become a recurring pattern is Akemokhue’s cynical exploitation of crises in Okpella. Whenever calamity strikes, he goes to social media to record and publish voice notes designed to ridicule the throne, pretend to know the solutions, and boast openly that it is only a matter of time before he reclaims it as the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella. Also, his hired social media urchins are always quick to flood cyberspace with propaganda and mischievous statements, indirectly celebrating misfortunes that befall the community and using them as tools to undermine the competence of the reigning monarch. This deliberate attempt to erode confidence in traditional leadership only deepens divisions and weakens our collective resolve.
The Palace Watch also wishes to address the recent voices allegedly from Okhu village, where the shrine is located and where the arrest of Lukman Akemokhue took place. We listened to their voice recordings, where they attacked Engineer Abu Abduganiyu, the Chief of Staff to the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, and the Chairman of the Okpella Security Council, High Chief Joshua Ogene, hurling vitriol and empty threats for their roles in facilitating the arrest. These critics conveniently overlook their own silence in the past when Akemokhue wielded governmental influence to arrest, detain, and incarcerate these men and many others in the community without any concrete reason at the Oko Prison (Correctional Centre) in Benin City. Such selective outrage only underscores the hypocrisy at play and serves no purpose beyond perpetuating division and sheer hatred for community peace.
At its core, Akemokhue’s arrest addresses a relentless cycle: the use of illegal soldiers to provoke violence, the instigation of bloodshed, the ridicule of the throne, and deliberate efforts to fracture Okpella’s social fabric. These are not mere political maneuvers but criminal enterprises that imperil our security, dignity, and unity. Law enforcement’s intervention is a vital step toward accountability, and we commend the swift collaboration between vigilantes, police, and military units in upholding the rule of law.
The Palace Watch implores all sons and daughters of Okpella to stand firm in calmness, adherence to the law, and solidarity with our shared heritage. Let us reject fearmongering and embrace the justice unfolding before us. With resolve and restraint, we will reclaim the peace that defines our great kingdom, ensuring a future where tradition thrives alongside progress.
THE PALACE WATCH
pray for peace in okpella
