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Tag: Rivers

  • Rivers rerun: Nobody can impose representatives on Rivers, says Wike 

    Rivers rerun: Nobody can impose representatives on Rivers, says Wike 

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said the state is too big for anybody to impose representatives on the residents.

    The governor said the people should be allowed to elect their representatives.

    Wike spoke yesterday at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church in Port Harcourt, the state capital, during a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) dedication service to begin the campaign for the rerun/supplementary election.

    The governor urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be neutral in performing its duty during the rerun and ensure that the will of the people prevails.

    He said: “This election will prove whether INEC is ready to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria.”

    Wike said the PDP remained committed to violence-free polls, adding that the party’s opponents should play within the rules of engagement.

    He said: “What causes violence during elections is when the umpire wants to manipulate, rig or write results. We will resist any attempt to write results.

    “The PDP will not be involved in anything violent, but we will not allow anyone to steal our votes. We will protect our votes and make sure that the people’s mandate is declared.”

  • NAF destroys illegal oil barges in Rivers

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has destroyed another set of illegal oil barges in River State.

    A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said one of the barges, which was filled with stolen oil, was set ablaze by NAF helicopters on armed patrol around Okoromabie and Southeast of Port Harcourt refinery.

    The statement said the third barge, which was surrounded by canoes conveying drums, was sited at Onne.

    It said the third barge did not catch fire when the NAF helicopter fired at it.

    “While individuals around the barge and canoes fled when fired at, the barge and drums did not explode, indicating the possibility of being empty,” the statement said.

  • Wike, INEC and Rivers rerun election

    As the new date for the Rivers State rerun election inches closer, some political actors in the state have started reigniting signature inflammatory rhetoric. The state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in particular has put forward conspiratorial theories on purported  plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  to manipulate the election results in favour of his party’s opponent.

    Many are not too surprised about this claim – a claim they view as antics of politicians based on their seeming incurable penchant to deploy everything in their arsenals to win at all cost in every elections. Nonetheless,  the unsubstantiated allegations and brazen attacks  being thrown at INEC on daily basis by these actors since the announcement of December 10 as the new date for the rerun election continues to bleed the heart.

    Why will people be casting aspersion on the credibility of INEC just for a singular aim of achieving their selfish political agenda not minding the negative effect  such actions will have on the electoral umpire as one the major organs that is sustaining democracy in the country? The Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC has left no one in doubt of  its unwavering commitment not to renege on its pledge to ensure that  all elections conducted under its watch are not only free and fair but also credible. That was why I was shocked  to the marrows of my bones recently when I heard that Wike accused the electoral umpire of  colluding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the rerun election. Interestingly, the APC also accused INEC of working with Wike’s party to rig the election.

    Though Wike and his co-travelers in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are not wrong to raise alarm over the syndicate that was recently bursted for printing fake election result sheet for the  rerun election, pointing accusing fingers to INEC  was not only out of place but was also a well calculated plot to  rubbish the image of the electoral umpire. The posers  any sane mind should ask those accusing  INEC  for this ugly development are many. Does INEC  really need to churn out fake election materials to manipulate result? If INEC truly wants to rig the election, why will it do that when it can produce any amount of original materials it deems fit for any election?  Has INEC released the sensitive materials for the election, which is always done few hours to the election, to know if there is any correlation between the fake and original materials? Has investigation been concluded on the issue to really know the face behind the syndicate?

    While I am not in any way holding brief for INEC, it is important to remind Nigerians that even the APC in Rivers State has  also  in number of times accused the same INEC  of favouring PDP in the state . This shows that INEC is unbiased and does not take instruction from politicians. Some elections recently conducted across the country which saw  to the emergence of  winners from different political divides testified to this. The  senatorial election conducted in Kogi State were won by PDP; same as Bayelsa gubernatorial election, while APC won the governorship in Edo and Kogi states.

    That  is why I have always dismissed with a wave of hand those who accused  INEC of delaying the Rivers rerun election to favour a political party. To put the record straight, before  Senator Ike Ekweramadu’s motion  on the non-conduct of election in Rivers State which resulted  in  the Senate threat to stop plenary if the election is not conducted by December 10,  the electoral body had earlier fixed the date for the rerun for the sme date. In fact, Ekweremadu’s motion had intended to slam an immediate ultimatum on INEC if the election is not conducted before end of November, which prompted the chairman of Senate committee on INEC, Senator Abubakar Kyari to inform the Senators that the commission already told his committee that it would conduct the Rivers election on December 10!

    It is  unfortunate that instead of blaming politicians for delaying the election, all sorts of invectives are erroneously being poured on INEC  for allegedly orchestrating the delay  in spite of the commission’s readiness for the elections. Many have also gone as far as saying that if election can be successfully conducted in ‘Boko Haram-torn  Sambisa forest’ what is stopping INEC to delay elections in Rivers State.

    The answer to this is simple, Boko Haram goal is to carve out a territory for itself, hence they are not interested in what goes on in the nation’s political system. On the other hand, in Rivers State, political actors always go to the  trenches in any election to win by force. They use all measures; they divide to conquer, supplying arms and money to unemployed youths who are used and dumped after the election. They instigate people to fight and kill each other because of election, in order to be able to achieve their objectives. The consequence of this has been damning. In the March 28 rerun election in the state,  seven people were  said to have lost their lives in the state, including a youth corps member, Okonta Samuel, and two soldiers.

    Political actors in Rivers State should learn from the September 28, Edo State gubernatorial election  that was totally devoid of violence; it is no doubt a testament to the competence of  INEC  in guaranteeing credible and conclusive polls when political actors and other stakeholders play according to the rules.

     

    • John, a public affairs commentator, writes in from Lagos
  • Rivers community accuses military of extra-judicial killing

    Rivers community accuses military of extra-judicial killing

    Joseph Izu, 24, was a central defender with Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, Oyo State. On Sunday, October 16, he woke up in his Okarki hometown in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State. He had no inkling that would be his last day on earth.

    The footballer, popularly called “O’l Boy” in Okarki, had a very close friend known as Osuaekina Oko, (aka Anko) 36. The villagers alleged he was a notorious cultist and criminal, as well as a dealer in Indian hemp and hard drugs.

    On one of the Sundays, Izu was said to have joined Oko at his ghetto, which was described by the Commander of 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Brig.-Gen. Hamisu Hassan, as a cultists’ shrine, to smoke along with other cultists.

    In an interview with Niger Delta Report, the monarch of Okarki community, His Royal Highness (HRH) Elijah H. Aduan, the Okilomakiei VIII, said he earlier ordered the youth, led by their president, Stanley Magnus Arugu, 35, to demolish the ghetto.

    Immediately after it was destroyed, the monarch alleged that Oko mobilised members of his cult and invaded the house of the youth president and destroyed his property.

    Tired of the activities of the cultists, kidnappers and other criminals in Okarki, some peace-loving members of the community decided to inform the soldiers to help them rid the area of bad boys.

    Acting on tip-off, the soldiers allegedly invaded Okarki and met Oko and members of his group at the ghetto.

    Unfortunately, it was alleged that Izu was also at the ghetto; smoking with Oko and other criminals when the soldiers arrived at the scene.

    It was alleged that Oko and other armed cultists opened fire on the soldiers to which the soldiers replied. With the superior firepower of the military men, Oko and members of his gang jumped into the river in a bid to escape. Many of them escaped with bullet wounds.

    One of the cultists who survived confirmed that Izu did not jump into the river, but ran through the shallow path of the river and moved towards Okarki Primary School, where he encountered some soldiers. Initially, the soldiers did not know he was a popular footballer. The soldiers allegedly mistook him for one of the cultists because of his peculiar hairstyle.

    The monarch and youth president of Okarki supported the action of the soldiers. They also blamed the soldiers for not informing them, members of the council of chiefs and other stakeholders, before the invaded their community.

    “Izu’s death is very unfortunate. I have visited his father and other members of his family in Port Harcourt. But I cannot condemn the action of the soldiers. I work hand in hand with the military to ensure peace and adequate security in Okarki. The ghetto is the base of cultists, not a shrine.”

    The Okarki youth president, however, insisted that the death of the ace defender was unfortunate.

    Arugu also alleged that the unarmed  footballer was first shot on the leg and later on the waist.

    He said Izu was a smoker but was not sure he was a cultist, saying Oko was the leader of the Greenlander cult group.

    Arugu noted that after the first gunshot, Izu shouted that he was not a criminal and brought out his 3SC’s identity card, which was allegedly collected by the soldiers. They also collected his mobile phone. One of the military men shot him on the waist at close range and allegedly dragged him into Orashi River.

    A member of Okarki’s Council of Chiefs, Chief Ebi Akaliso, insisted that “Izu was not a bad boy. He described him as a role model, icon, star of the community and the best player in the village and its environs, with a promising future.”

    A witness, Delenla Andrew, 25, who is indigenous to Anyama in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, whose house is also opposite the spot where the player was allegedly shot, stated that she heard gunshots and ran outside to know what the matter was. She alleged she saw many soldiers shooting intermittently.

    However, the Commander of 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Brig.-Gen. Hamisu Hassan, maintained that the 3SC defender was killed in cultists’ shrine at Okarki.

    Hassan said: “On Sunday, October 16, troops of the brigade deployed in Akinima, Ahoada West Local Government Area, conducted a confidence-building patrol in Igovia and Okarki villages.

    “Information available to the troops on patrol indicated the presence  of suspected cultists in Okarki village.  The troops moved in and raided the hideout of the suspected criminals. One person lost his life at the hideout, while many others fled.

    “Later, it was confirmed that the person who lost his life was a Nigerian footballer, identified as Mr. Izu Joseph. Nevertheless, investigation is ongoing to further determine why and what he was doing at the cultists’ shrine at the time.”

    Izu’s father, Reuben Izu, disagreed with the commander of 2 Brigade.

    He said: “He (Joseph) and his daughter had planned to come to Port Harcourt to see me. He went to the jetty where we usually swim to have a quick shower on Sunday. It was while he was there that men of the JTF raided the place and everybody ran helter-skelter, including Joseph.

    “The soldiers were shooting sporadically and one of the bullets hit Joseph on the leg.  One of the soldiers walked up to him and shot him a second time despite Joseph’s plea that he was a footballer on holiday in Okarki.

    “He was taken to a hospital where he died due to loss of blood.”

    He accused the military of  “carrying out jungle justice. They do not investigate matters before carrying out actions. They should be educated on how to handle civilian matters.”

    Joseph’s widow, Portia said: “I need justice on the murder of my husband. My husband came home to see me and our daughter. He was not a criminal.  I have been made a widow.”

    The Ijaw Youths’ Council (IYC), through its spokesman, Eric Omare, described as provocative, the claim by the 2 Brigade that the footballer was at the wrong place (cultists’ shrine), when he was killed.

    It said: “The excuse by the Nigerian military is watery, provocative and insensitive to the families of those who lost their beloved ones and members of the community.

    “The IYC is not aware of any Nigerian law which empowers military officers to shoot and kill anybody found in a shrine.

    “Instead, all that the military and other security agencies have been trying to do is to cover up the extra-judicial killing by their officers.

    “Brig.-Gen. Hassan said they are investigating what Izu was doing in the cultists’ shrine, instead of investigating and bringing to justice the military officers who perpetrated this criminal act.

    “Once again, the IYC demand that the military officers who killed Joseph Izu and Oko Osuekina should be fished out by the military authorities and prosecuted.”

    3SC’s Media Officer, Jubril Arowolo and the club’s General Manager, Rasheed Balogun, quoted unnamed sources as claiming that Izu was shot with two of his friends, who sustained injuries.

    The club’s officers said: “The management of 3SC commiserates with the family of one of our players, Joseph Izu, who was killed on Sunday (October 16, 2016). He joined 3SC in the 2013/2014 season and was on the bench in the club’s last match of the season against Abia Warriors in Umuahia.

    “He was a dedicated player who gave his best for the good of the club. We are going to miss him greatly. We pray to God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”

  • INEC seeks probe of Rivers’ ‘fake poll result sheets’

    INEC seeks probe of Rivers’ ‘fake poll result sheets’

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for thorough investigation of the production of fake result sheets in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The legislative rerun elections in the state have been fixed for December 10.

    Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi said yesterday: “The commission has heard the news about the arrest of nine people with fake result sheets in Port Harcourt.

    “INEC wants to appeal to security agencies that the culprits should not just be arrested, they and their sponsors should be prosecuted.”

    It was reported that the police in Rivers had arrested a syndicate involved in the printing of fake result sheets purportedly to be used in the rescheduled rerun elections.

    The report added that the director and personnel of the printing press, Help-Mate Consult, in Port Harcourt, allegedly involved in the printing of the fake result sheets were arrested by the police.

    Oyekanmi said INEC had no relationship with the printing press and its arrested director on the production of the fake results sheet.

    He denied the allegation that the production of the fake election result sheets was with the connivance with INEC and a political party to rig the December 10 election.

    “INEC will never connive with any political party to do such a thing to destroy the credibility of our elections.

    “Our system is too strict and complex for anybody to successfully do such a thing. It is not easy to break into the process,” he said.

    He, however, said that the commission, having successfully conducted elections in Edo and other places, would do what it could to make the election free, fair and credible in Rivers.

    INEC had last week announced the plan to conclude the pending re-run election in Rivers on the December 10.

  • INEC sets dates for Rivers, Lagos, FCT

  • Rivers’ inconclusive elections

    Rivers’ inconclusive elections

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed December 10 for the supplementary parliamentary polls in  Rivers State. The elections failed to hold on July 30 and last month because of insecurity in the  Southsouth state. BISI OLANIYI reports that the polls will be a supremacy battle between Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).  

    Ahead of the supplementary parliamentary elections in Rivers State, the people are enveloped in anxiety. Twice, the rerun have been postponed. Although the electoral commission has fixed the polls for December 10, fears are rife that they may hold in an atmosphere of strife and rancour.

    In the last two years, Rivers has been described as a state of blood and brute force. The elections have paled into a supremacy battle between Governor Nyesom Wike of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and his predecessor, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transport and leader of the All Progressives Congress. Their supporters have started flexing muscles. Will the elections hold? Will they be conclusive?

     

    Tension between PDP and APC

    Trouble started in Rivers State when Amaechi and Wike parted ways, ahead of last year’s polls. Before the preparations for the elections, they used to be friends. Amaechi claimed that he was instrumental to Wike’s appointment as minister.

    Shortly after Wike settled down in Abuja as a minister, he oiled his governorship project, with the intention to succeed Amaechi, in spite of the fact that both of them are Ikwerre. Rivers is a multi-ethnic state. Amaechi was not comfortable with Wike’s ambition. He said it was at variance with the principles of justice, fairness and equity.

    The crisis between Amaechi and Wike deepened when they were still in the PDP. Wike formed the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), a campaign outfit, for his governorship ambition. Amaechi and many PDP leaders later defected from the PDP to the APC. Following his defection, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience, who hails from Okrika, and Wike declared war against the former governor.

    Amaechi supported the former member of House of Representatives, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who hails from the coastal Opobo, for governor. An aspirant, Senator Magnus Abe, from Bera-Ogoni, Gokana Council, was prevailed upon step down and vie for the Senate. Up to now, the senatorial election is inconclusive.

    The polls are expected to hold in 23 councils. In Rivers Southeast, the elections will hold in the four Ogoni councils. They are Khnana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme. They will also hold in Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni and Oyigbo.  In Rivers West, elections will hold in the three Kalabari councils-Toru, Asari-Toru and Degema. Others are Bonny, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema. In Rivers East, the polls will hold in Port-Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Emohua, Etche, Omuma, Okrika and Ogu/Bolo local governments.

    According to observers,  last year’s polls was rigged in Rivers State. The election was a war of sorts. There was an unprecedented violence, with the PDP chieftains basking in the euphoria of the federal might.

    Wike won the electoral battle at the apex court, but, according to observers, the moral burden stares the ruling party in the face, considering the fact that over one hundred innocent persons were murdered; many were maimed and valuable property were also destroyed.

    The Courts of Appeal in Abuja ordered the legislative rerun, which ought to hold within 60 days from the dates of the judgments. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed March 19 for the polls. Following the announcement, hell was let loose. An atmosphere of insecurity pervaded the three senatorial districts. The polls were therefore, postponed.

    Later, the INEC fixed July 30 for the conclusion of the rerun. But, it was also postponed till October because the electoral commission’s office in Bori-Ogoni, the headquarters of Khan Council, was set ablaze by unknown persons on July 22. Now, the electoral agency has unfolded plans to conduct the supplementary polls on December 10.

    In the opinion of Wike, the botched rerun was a fallout of the grand conspiracy to rig the polls in favour of APC candidates. He wondered why the INEC, which successfully held elections in Sambisa forest, could not achieve the feat in Rivers State. He said that smacked of a negative plot against the Niger Delta state.

    The governor also claimed that the Amaechi administration, which spent eight years with huge resources accruing to the state, allegedly embezzled the money..

    Wike said: People want to illegally seize power in Rivers State. That is why you are hearing all these criticisms about poor performance and violence, cultism, kidnapping, militancy, armed robbery, sea piracy and other criminal activities. All these plots are meant to take Rivers State. Why do you want to take Rivers State, when it is not your own?

    “Between March 19 and now, they planned to do elections so that they can get the number of seats to impeach me and put their own man. Since March, everyday, they postpone the elections. From May to June, to July, August, then, September. They said October ending, still no election. Now, they say December 10 and when we get to December 10, they may shift it to next year.”

    The governor chided the INEC for avoiding the electoral duty in Rivers. He said: “Elections took place in Borno State. Elections took place in Yobe State. Elections took place in Adamawa State, where you have deadly insurgency. They were able to conduct elections and votes were counted. They were able to conduct elections in Sambisa forest and votes were counted. But, they cannot conduct elections here in Rivers State.”

    Wike said that the actions of INEC and its collaborators had denied Rivers State representation in the House of Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate. He added:: “The Senate will be discussing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The Senators will be having the constitutional amendment and the state that produces the crude oil has no senator and cannot be part of the discussion. Nobody will defend Rivers State in the Senate.

    “Nigerians are not worried. Why? Rivers is a minority state.”

    Wike described Rivers as a peaceful state, compared to many states,, adding that the state had played host to many international and national conferences. He said once elections were approaching, desperate opposition politicians and their media collaborators would be fuelling negative propaganda about insecurity.

    Wike stressed that deliberate anti-development programmes had been slated against Rivers state, pointing out that the state had successfully overcome the plots.

    He said: “We are the only state that applied for bail-out funds, but they did not give to us. We are the only state where they started deducting our funds, when a loan facility has not been given to us.”

    Wike called on members of the PDP to remain focused and not to be bothered about the propaganda. He said the antics of the opposition will fail.

    However, Amaechi has objected to Wike’s claims, saying that he was behind the violence. He lamented that Rivers is now at a standstill because Wike is in the saddle.

    Also, Peterside, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Rivers people were already tired of the PDP’s government. He chided the governor for the atmosphere of insecurity. The former governorship candidate the governor was afraid that the APC will triumph at the supplementary polls. He said many prominent indigenes have been defecting from the PDP to the APC to protest poor governance.

    Peterside, a former member of the House of Representatives, said: “The bad governance in Rivers State is telling on the people and they are aware that this government is not for them. The coming rerun and 2019 elections will prove that the government of Rivers State is not leading the people well.”

    Peterside, an ex-Rivers Commissioner for Works in the Amaechi’s administration, also berated the Wike for not maintaining the infrastructural facilities built by the Amaechi administration.

    The director-general of NIMASA said: “Wike cannot maintain the infrastructure Amaechi put on the ground. Look at the health centres, schools and the overseas scholarships, among others. Instead he (Wike) has introduced tax regime in secondary schools that are supposed to be free. Rivers state is indeed retrogressing.”

    Rivers APC Chairman Chief Davies Ikanya said PDP chieftains were not ready for the rerun, adding that they were trying to avoid the wrath of the electorate. But, his PDP counterpart, Chief Felix Obuah, alleged that APC members, especially the party’s candidates, were not prepared for the polls. He said they were afraid of a looming humiliation. Adding that they preferred the postponement as a face-saving device.

    Wike alleged that INEC was plotting to transplant the Edo State rigging model in Rivers. He said the plot would fail, stressing that the  people would resist them.

    He said: “Anyone planning to steal our mandate will be resisted. Nobody can intimidate us. They will rig themselves into the water. I hear that some persons are celebrating that they will repeat what they did in Edo State here in Rivers State.  Somebody who is suffering from malaria can say anything, but nobody will use the police to rig the rerun elections in Rivers State.

    “If you want to take our mandate by force, you will go by force. All the people of Rivers State must remain vigilant. INEC may want to take us unawares.”

    The APC chairman, however, said he was not surprised to hear Wike, making another wild accusation to the effect that he had uncovered imaginary plans by INEC to rig the rerun in favour of the APC.

    Ikanya said the tales coming from the governor fit perfectly into his usual past-time of trading on unfounded accusations, just to prepare the ground for launching electoral mischief.

    He said: “If indeed the governor is serious about his discovery and he was referring to the APC, when he made reference to the opposition, then we challenge him to make public his findings.

    “The APC believes that it is mere smokescreen by the Rivers governor to divert attention from his readiness to deploy from his unholy book of electoral mischief. APC is ready for him.”

    Ikanya called on the electoral commission not to be distracted by Wike’s diversionary tactics.

    He added: “INEC must ensure that every aspect of the forthcoming rerun elections in Rivers State is transparent and credible, to prove Wike wrong.”

    Ikanya said despite the militants and hoodlums dragged to Edo State to rig the governorship election and cause mayhem, the PDP’s candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, was defeated by Godwin Obaseki of the APC.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi Ikoiwak, said that the electoral commission will not take sides with any political party. He assured that the rerun would be free, fair and credible.

    But, the question is: will politicians allow the polls to be free and fair?

  • Insecurity: Rivers’ most volatile areas for kidnapping, killing

    Insecurity: Rivers’ most volatile areas for kidnapping, killing

    Undoubtedly, Port Harcourt City is somehow safe. But for those visiting Rivers State for the first time, they could be victims of insecurity if their journey takes them far away from the capital city. PRECIOUS DIKEWOHA examines some of the danger-prone areas in the state despite the amnesty offered by Rivers State government to militants, cultists and other criminals. 

    Quite a few local government areas in Rivers State are susceptible to insecurity. But our correspondent’s analysis concentrated on those that are more volatile than others. In doing this, he examined situations in areas such as    :

     

    Ikwerre LGA

    Ikwerre Local Government Area has the ancient city of Isiokpo as its headquarters and comprises 14 communities. Among these communities, about nine have been “colonised” by different cult groups. Due to supremacy battle among these groups, hundreds of young men have been killed while several others are still missing.

    Members of the cult groups terrorising Ikwerre are members of the communities. They are mainly Degban and Icelander.

    Among the communities that are leading in kidnapping, killing and cult-related activities are Ubima, Umuawa, Isiokpo, Elele, Omagwa, Aluu and Omademe, among others.

    The roads leading to these areas are always lonely and fraught with bush parts which make them sanctuaries for kidnapping and robbery.

    The boundaries between Ubima and Ozuhia Road, Isiokpo and Elele are regarded as dens of kidnappers. Motorists and passengers who pass through these areas said as soon as they are approaching the kidnapping zones, they begin to say prayers for God to protect them.

    Before now, Omegwa, Ozuhia, Ubima and Omerelu roads were the shortest routes to Owerri. These days, motorists boycott the route while others still take the risk. However, even if the driver decided to boycott the route, he will have to pass through another dangerous route, which is Elele-Isiokpo Road in order to connect the road to Owerri.

    Mr. Igwe Omengbeoji, a motorist who plies these roads on daily basis said: “The bloody area at the boundary between Ozuhia and Ubima is Wilbros Road. From there to Ubima community which is about 10-15 minutes’ drive is always bushy.

    “Another area where we begin another set of prayers is the road between Ubima and Palm Estate Road leading to Omerelu community. As soon as you pass through this area and connect to Owerri Road, your family is sure of seeing you that day.

    “Some of the kidnapping activities in the area are perpetrated by cultists. When Joint Military Taskforce (JTF) raided Ubima, Elele and Isiokpo forests, they discovered many dead bodies. Some of them have decomposed while others are skeletons, dried bones and skulls. These were human beings who were kidnapped on that road and who died in the hands of the kidnappers.”

    Mr. Amadi Gift, one of the youth leaders in the area narrated to Niger Delta Report how Ubima community was turned to a ghost town on October 28, 2005 due to cult activities.

    “Our community (Ubima) will never forget in a hurry how cult activities began here. On October 28, 2005 the residents of the community relocated to the neighbouring community as a result of clashes between cult groups.  The battle for supremacy began in the morning. There was serious shooting in the morning and later in the night when members and families of the rival group were still asleep.

    “They descended on them and set their houses ablaze. The next night, the other group whose houses were set on fire retaliated and demolished over 30 houses belonging to their rivals. Many members of the community were rendered homeless because some of the houses destroyed were family houses. Till today, some families could not afford to rebuild their houses. That was how the crisis began. Currently, the community has recorded more killings due to cult clashes. Isiokpo, Umuawa, Omademe and other communities have also experienced killings resulting from cult activities.

    An Ikwerre man who pleaded anonymity for security reasons said after the killing that took place in Ubima community in 2005 and 2007, the cultists were remained calm.  He said the cultists resurfaced again four years ago with sophisticated weapons when politicians discovered they could be veritable means to achieve their political goals.

    He said: “For the past four years when the cultists resumed their activities in our various communities, hundreds of Ikwerre indigenes have been murdered and more than 50 people are still missing. Cult activities in Ubima community alone was were responsible for the death of over 20 people, even as 10 people are still missing.  This is also happening in other communities. At present, the roads leading to these areas have become safe haven for kidnappers and robbers because of the weapons at their disposal. All the cultists are now into kidnapping business.”

     

    Emohua LGA

    Emohua is a sister local government area to Ikwerre. The two local government areas have many things in common. They have almost the same tradition, understand each other’s languages and have one supreme council called Ogbakor Ikwerre, which is the highest decision-making body in Ikwerre ethnic nationality.

    Some of the residents who spoke to Niger Delta Report said youths of Ikwerre Local Government Area are greenhorn in terms of cult-related activities.

    The source said: “The East-West Road that links Ndele and Rundele communities is one of the areas that kidnappers have taken over. Other areas are Ibaa, Rumuekeni and Ogbakiri communities. These communities linked one another through water. So, as soon as the victim has been captured, they will put the person inside speedboat and ferry him or her to the other side of the river linking another community.

    “The residents also described the communities as the headquarters of cultists in Ikwerre ethnic nationality. Recall that residents of Ogbakiri were sacked from their community by cult groups eight years ago. Properties were destroyed and people were slaughtered like animals. The crisis kept them out of their ancestral homes for more than five years before they returned home to rebuild their community.”

    On January 18, this year, members of Elibrada community in Emohua Clan woke up on that morning to discover that their community was on fire due to a clash between two rival cult groups. But a day after, the community reinforced and allegedly killed two cultists who were alleged to have set the community on fire. It was gathered that after unidentified gunmen laid siege to the community during one of the nights, one of the youth that have been terrorising the entire Emohua LGA was alleged to have been picked up.  And later, the terror was found dead somewhere along one of the roads.

    Elder Ohiakwe Amaechi, one of the community leaders in Emohua said cult activities have inflicted pains and agony on the residents.

    “What happened in  Rumuekpe, Ibaa and Ogbakiri  should discourage people from patronising cultists. These three communities have more dreaded cultists than in other parts of the state. The insecurity in Ibaa, Ogbakiri and Rumuekpe communities which began seven years ago degenerated so much so that members of the community abandoned their homes and became refugees in another land for years.

    “Ogbakiri, for instance, experienced a total breakdown of law and order that resulted in massacre and deadly chieftaincy tussle,” he said.

    Recall that on February 3, 2014, some cultists suspected to be members of Icelanders and Degbam fraternity clashed at Ibaa community over territorial control. During the incident, nine people were killed and properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed.  Joint Military taskforce took over the community for more than one month. The residents of the community were forced to relocate to the neighbouring community for safety.

     

    Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA (ONELGA)

    ONELGA is one of the dangerous areas in terms of insecurity in Rivers State. Even as Rivers State government initiated amnesty programme to calm the situation, the area still remains high risk in security chat of Rivers State.

    On the first week of October this year, gunmen attacked the Rivers State Amnesty Programme Committee led by Mr. Kenneth Chinda, at Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

    It was gathered that the team had resumed duty in ONELGA before they were attacked by suspected cultists in the area.

    Niger Delta Report learnt that when the incident happened, the leaders of the team had instructed other members not to reveal the development until investigations were completed. A source who was privy to the incident, Miss Sandra (surname withheld) told our correspondent that hoodlums intercepted the team around Akabuka community and opened fire on them.

    On February 12, this year, some young men were beheaded in Omoku and their heads were taken away.  A resident who pleaded anonymity for security reasons said: “In ONELGA, kidnapping and secret killing are major businesses. People are being kidnapped for ransom of between N100, 000 and N200, 000.  Kidnapping is a common business in the area and security is very poor, many people, including the indigenes are relocating to other towns that are safe.

     

    Etche LGA

     

    Etche Local Government Area is another of the areas with high level of insecurity and cult-related activities. Here, Degban and Icelander do not have much power. The area is controlled by a dreaded cult group called Umuoma Boys who originated from Obibi near Ozuzu Etche.

    One of the communities in the area known as Obite was attacked by unknown gunmen and scores were injured. After the raid by the gunmen, one Chikodi Nwankwoala was found dead in front of her house.

    Three months after, another community in the area, Akpokwu community was attacked. During the attack, four people were killed and about 20 houses were razed over the killing of one Mustapha.

    A youth leader in the area who pleaded anonymity for security reasons  said the Umuoma Boys and other killer groups in the area began as mere interest groups in support of political ambitions of some powerful politicians before they transformed into secret cult groups.

    The source said: “We have many bushes where these young men perpetrate evil. What they do is that they get one’s phone number and call one. As soon as one approaches the area, one is kidnapped.

    “During election periods, the young men received visitors from other local government areas who hired them for assassination, thuggery and other illicit businesses.”

    Continuing, he said: “The Umuoma Boys are very powerful and deadly. Etche has become a place where residents of Rivers State find it difficult to travel to due to insecurity. Everybody knows that Umuoma Boys were responsible for most of the kidnap and robbery incidents in and around Etche.

    “The system of incorporating hoodlums in the engines of political change made the Etche environment unsafe during election periods. This was perfected by old politicians within the Etche locality who were threatened by the rising profiles of younger men who they perceive as successful politicians.

     

    Ahoada East/Ahoada West LGA

    This is another dangerous zone where even residents of the various communities preferred to reside in Port Harcourt than living in their locality. The area is second to ONELGA in terms of insecurity.

    Investigation revealed that the residents are contributing money on monthly basis for the cult groups to ensure their safety and avoid unnecessary harassment.

    Ahoada is one of the target areas of Rivers State Amnesty Programme because of arms and ammunition that are in circulation in the area.

    A community leader who spoke to our correspondent in confidence said: “Here, despite the amnesty being offered to these armed youths, we are living at the mercy of cultists. The cultists are unleashing maximum terror on the people. They are currently calling prominent indigenes on phone, asking them to send money to them or be kidnapped.

    “Our women no longer go to farms for fear of being raped, molested or kidnapped. Our people have resigned to fate. They feel dejected and hopeless. We are praying that with the amnesty being offered to them, things would be better. But I don’t see any difference between what obtains now and what we used to experience.”

  • Rivers: ‘Let Justice Odili be’

    The Centre for Good Governance and Accountability (CGGA) has dismissed claims that Justice Mary Odili influenced the Supreme Court verdict on Rivers State governorship election petition.

    The group described the allegations  as an effort to discredit her as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

    The group, in a statement in Abuja, cautioned against dragging Justice Odili into the matter, describing the claims as false, wicked and baseless.

    The statement by the Lead-Advocate of the group, Prof Nasiru Gomwalk, said linking Justice Odili to the Supreme Court verdict showed a desperation to discredit her.

    The statement reads: ‘’This platform is inclined to make this statement on the strength of the concocted narrative making the rounds online to the effect that honourable Justice Mary Odili allegedly facilitated perceived questionable act in the run up to Supreme Court ruling on Rivers State governorship election petition.

    “While we are not averse to conventional and acceptable attempt aimed at curbing corruption in every facet of Nigeria’s life, the mission to demean the hard earned credible professional and public integrity of Justice Odili is what we strongly condemn in every term.

    ‘’It is instructive to state herein that Justice Odili was never a member of the Supreme Court panel that adjudicated on the Rivers election matter and was only a spectator like every other citizen that was not part of the legal persons involved. It is on record that attempts by the same medium to discredit Justice Odili when the apex ruled on the matter failed given that it was as baseless and misleading as the latest effort.”

  • Four killed in Rivers community’s cult war

    •Homes razed as council chief, monarch call for calm 

    Four persons were feared killed and several homes razed in a weekend attack among suspected rival cultists at Akporo-Sogho community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The local government authority, which confirmed the clash, said suspected cultists were responsible for them.

    The chairman of the local government’s Caretaker Committee, Baridah Nsaanee, led a team of security agents, accompanied by the Bori Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Cletus Omuoke, during the inspection of the damage.

    Nsaanee urged the residents to remain calm and allow security agencies fish out the perpetrators.

    The CTC chairman warned that the amnesty the state government offered cultists would not shield them from prosecution, if they returned to crime.

    Also, the Paramount Ruler of Akporo-Sogho community, Abel Abalubu, urged the local government and the police to station security agencies in the community to forestall further killings.