News
Residents Flee Kono Boue Community Over Abductions
Feelers indicate that Kono Boue Community in Boue Clan in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, which Governor Nyesom Wike recently visited in the wake of killing of some inhabitants of the area by faceless gunmen, is currently a ghost town, as indigenes and residents have fled the community following incessant abductions of the people by gunmen from neighbouring communities.
This is even as the Paramount Ruler of the community, Chief Innocent N. Naador, who has been living outside the community for some time now as a result of the orgy of bloodletting and abductions which have plagued the community in recent times, has broken his silence, and appealed to the state government and security agencies to move fast and arrest the ugly situation.
It was gathered that several indigenes and residents of the area have sought refuge in Bori, headquarters of the local government area where they are being accommodated in Internally Displaced Persons (lDPs) camps scattered around the ancient Ogoni town.
It would be recalled that a prominent indigene of the area and former lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Sonpie Kpone-Tonwe, had recently raised alarm over the current state of affairs in the area, which he said, had forced him to abandon his house for seven years now, and pleaded with the governor to intervene by ensuring that police posts are established in the area to check the ugly security trend.
Speaking in a statement on behalf of the people, Chief Innocent N. Naador, appealed to the governor and security agencies to come to the aid of the community by providing security to save the people from incessant attacks, abductions and killings by some elements from the neighbouring communities.
He alleged that on Friday, September 13, 2019, seven women and two girls were abducted at gunpoint at the Wiideekwiri farm area, where they had gone to harvest cassava and taken to Kereke-Boue community, adding that it took the timely intervention of the Divisional Police Officer of Bori Division, Mr Bako Angbashim and his men to rescue the victims from their abductors in the community.
He alleged that the gunmen that abducted the victims were led by a known cultist (name withheld) in the community.
Naador equally narrated an incident which occurred on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, where 21 indigenes of the community were harassed and threatened at gunpoint by another gang led by a suspected Kereke war lord (name withheld) at Wiikoro farm area, and regretted that a peace accord signed by communities in Boue Clan in the wake of the governor’s visit has been truncated as hostilities have continued unabated in the area.
The monarch disclosed that since May, this year, a major road leading to and out of the community has remained blocked by the gangs from the neighbouring communities, pointing out that the ugly situation has forced primary and secondary schools to remain under lock and key, as well as crippled businesses.
The traditional ruler, however, commended Governor Nyesom Wike for his visit to the area and also the DPO of Bori Division, Mr. Bako Angbashim for the unusual dexterity and courage exhibited during the rescue of the female victims.
Also narrating her ordeal, one of the women that was abducted, Mrs. Charity Agada, said 2019 has been a very difficult year for the people of Kono Boue community, and lamented the spate of insecurity that has become the lot of the community and the people.
Another indigene and a motorcycle operator, Mr. Ibakpea Saronee said he was almost killed in Kereke-Boue a fortnight ago, when he carried the Councillor representing Ward 13, Hon. Confidence Leerah, to his house in the community, stressing that he escaped death by the whiskers as the attackers had come after him.
The DPO of Bori Police Division, Mr Bako Angbashim, confirmed the development, saying that Kono Boue community was deserted as at last week, saying, when he went there, only two old men were seen in the community.
He said in a telephone interview, that he visited the IDPs camps in Bori yesterday, addressed the inmates and also asked them to start returning to the community.
He further disclosed that leaders of the five communities that make up Boue Clan held a peace meeting, yesterday, in Bori, where it was agreed that the people at the IDPs camps could go back home, adding that the people of the five communities were directed that nobody should attack anybody any more.
He said he personally drove to Kono Boue community shortly after the meeting with two patrol vehicles and also Kereke-Boue community, where he confirmed he had rescued some abducted women penultimate Wednesday.
According to him, he had personally addressed the people of Kereke-Boue community and charged them to maintain the peace.
He promised to address the people of the area tomorrow, saying, “I am committed to peace in the area. Peace has returned to the area.”
Donatus Ebi
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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