Riot policemen and troops of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope, were on Tuesday deployed in Orerokpe, the headquarters of Okpe Local Government Area, Delta State, following Monday�s mayhem in the community.
Policemen and soldiers took position at strategic locations in the community on Tuesday as five suspects were arrested in connection with the crisis in the area on Monday.
It was gathered that a chairmanship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Okpe Council area, is one of the suspects nabbed by the police.
Our correspondent reported that the heavy presence of the security agents in Orerokpe coincided with the visit of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and the acting Commissioner, Delta State Police Command, Mr. Joshua Oshomogor.
Okowa and Oshomogor were at the scene in company with the Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Security, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori.
The team also visited the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, the council secretariat and the wife of the Chairman of the Orerokpe Vigilante Group, Mr. Francis Atima, who was murdered by suspected cultists on Tuesday.
The Vice- Chairman of the Vigilante Group in the community, Mr. Francis Ejijona, and two others sustained gunshot injuries in the fracas masterminded by some cult members in the area.
It was gathered that no fewer than 15 buildings were razed in the bloody face-off.
Most of the property razed by the arsonists belonged to a Second Republic federal lawmaker, Senator William Eredajaye.
Our correspondent found that Eradejaye�s private residence, his estate and business premises located in various areas of the Urhobo community, were torched by the arsonists.
Also, a building, which belonged to a popular woman politician in the community, Mrs. Grace Ikolo, was burnt by the hoodlums.
The trouble started when a group of secret cult boys said to be loyal to a chairmanship aspirant; stormed a beer joint in the community.
It was, however, gathered that the suspects declined to honour their obligations to the owner of the drinking joint, a development which reportedly compelled the businessman to seek the intervention of the leader of the community�s vigilante group.
It was learnt that Atima and his subordinates promptly arrested the hoodlums assisted by the police in the locality.
However, the decision of the police to defer the bail of the suspects till Monday morning irked their colleagues.