Scores Injured, 2 Killed and Several Others Missing Again, it was a dark moment for the people of the Ke Kingdom in Degema Local ...
Scores Injured, 2 Killed and Several Others Missing
Again, it was a dark moment for the people of the Ke Kingdom
in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State in Nigeria on Tuesday, 11th
February 2020 as their community was yet again attacked by the people of Bille
Community through the cover of Oil & Gas Task Force coordinated by Lapado
security which is owned by a chieftain of Bille Community, Agbeji.
Previously, through the influence of the same Lapado
Security lead by Agbeji, the military was misled to burn down Kalaekuleama, one
of the communities that made up the Ke Kingdom and this is aside from the several of
the invasion that the Ke community has fingered the people of Bille including the
2001 invasion that leads to scores of death.
Ke community is the oldest community in the Eastern Niger
Delta of Nigeria. It is indeed an untapped tourist home that has, however,
suffered much from neglect in terms of development and consideration from the
government.
Our correspondent learned that at about 4 pm, six gunboats
lead by Tamunokuro Daigbani, a.k.a Agbeji of Bille community in the company of
two other well-recognized faces from Bille and other men in military uniforms
and arms stormed Ke community unprovoked and released massive gunfire on the
people.
“This evening, four gunboats plus two other private boats,
making a total of six boats arrived our community and unleashed an open fire
that led to the death of two. Women and men, both the young and old were
seriously injured.” – Said Gloria Isaac Ogaji, a businesswoman.
“Today around 4 pm, I was in the house when I heard rapid
gunfire. I was informed that Oil & Gas pass through our waterfront and
immediately, I alerted the D.P.O, Degema Police Station to inform him of the
ugly scenario. Within a twinkle of an eye, some persons were gunned down while
others flee to the tick forest, two persons were shot dead while others
sustained an injury while scores taken by the gunmen are yet to be seen” Mr.
Odubo, the Welfare Chairman of Ke Community.
According to an eye witness, Agbeji himself was heavily armed
with military weapons and ordered the men on military uniforms to shoot.
“Then Agbeji ordered, we must burn down this community,
Shoot! Shoot!! Shoot!!! Don’t let anyone escape. I am lucky, I am still alive
to testify.” Said Ibieneba Omoni, 71, an aged woman.
Scores were injured with two persons confirmed dead. Our
correspondent gathered that some persons from the community are yet to be seen.
According to Mr. Daibi Ekine, “Today, around 2 to 3 pm, Oil
& Gas Task Force passed through our waterfront, Later in the day, we saw
them returning again to their station, we don’t know what happened, but around
4 pm Army gunboats and boats from Bille came to our community with Agbeji in
front of the gunboat, heavily armed including other two men from Bille”.
“How can a military man allow a civilian to carry arms and
open fire on civilians? I think the Bille people are attacking other
communities under the cover of fighting illegal oil bunkering” – Daibi added.
Further investigation revealed that the people of Ke Kingdom
and the Bille Community are to have a court hearing concerning the alleged
Invasion of Ke by the people of Bille that led to the death of scores,
sometimes in 2001 today, the 11th of February, 2019.
Allegations were made that Agbeji of Bille Community has been
using his oil & gas task force position to invade neighbouring communities
by deceiving the military into believing that any of his targeted communities
is a bunkering site.
The people of Ke have accused Agbeji of destroying and
planning to hijack settlements of the Ke Kingdom through the cover of the Oil
& Gas Joint Task Force.
According to Chief Barisoma Peters, “Agbeji who is an
an indigene of Bille has been looking for an avenue to unleash mayhem on KE”.
“I am sure he wants another attack this time around in the
name of looking for bunkering camps and involving the military to make us have
problems with the Federal Government of Nigeria”... Chief Barisoma added.
According to the chief, “the people of Bille have wrongfully
petitioned Ke to Degema Local Government Area, all to cover up the invasion of Ke
by them in 2001 and further do more damage to the peace-loving community”.
Furthermore, Chief Peters added that “the people of Ke
community has sent delegates to meet with Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister, His
Excellency Timipre Silver in Abuja because of this same hostile nature of
Agbeji and his group against Ke territory, all in the name of wiping out
illegal bunkering camps”.
Our correspondent reports that the people of the community
are currently living in tension and are calling on the security agencies, the
local government, the government of the state and the federal government to
quicken in action to save the community from this frequent violent that the
people of Bille have inflicted on Ke.
“We want the L.G.A chairman, Hon. Dr. Tony Philmore, the
State Governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike, the president of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, President Muhammad Buhari and all well-meaning Nigerians to make
haste in rescuing our community from the evil menace of Abeji and his people” –
Mr. Daibi Ekine pleaded.
Before publishing this report, all efforts to reach the
Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni and the Military Spokespersons were not fruitful
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