Proposed Sand Dump Raises Dust In Ogbakiri

There are indications that a new site ear-marked for sand dredging in Rumuokani Ogbakiri in Emohua Local Government  Area of Rivers State may face serious opposition and challenges by some neighbouring communities, following the invasion of the proposed sand excavation site by youths brandishing dangerous weapons and believed to have come from Okporowo community in Ogbakiri.

The Tide gathered that these irate youths recently stormed the dredging site, popularly called the “Onumini Amangwu” which is known to belong to the Rumuokani Community.

An eye witness to the incident, popularly known as “Katanga,” told The Tide that on that fateful day, as he was about to board the flying boat to cross over to Iwofe, he saw same youths of Okporowo community with weapons came all the way from their own village to the “Amangwu” water front, claiming that the site belong to their fore-fathers, and that such planned sand dredging must not hold.

According to the eye witness, these group of youths were very ready to beat-up any body that opposes their mission, adding that they almost threatened to matchet him because of the comment he made.

More worrisome to the matter, according to Katanga, was the fact that the issue of ownership of the waterfront is a known matter that every body in Ogbakiri; including younger generations know that the waterfront belongs to Rumuokani, even though he is not a native of Rumuokani community.

Katanga maintained that he challenged the youths on their actions, pointing out that such moves could breed another round of crisis in Ogbakiri, had the Rumuokani youths taken up the challenge at that time to also defend their own village.

He also accused some elders of the community of master minding such wrong moves, where they investigate the youths to go  on wrong missions.

The Tide’s funding also revealed that this group of youths on that mission were motivated by the economic benefit that would accrue to them, if at the end they reached an agreement with the sponsors of the business, knowing the market value of sand in building and construction, for which they would get a running financial returns as the business goes.

However, efforts made to reach the facilitator of the business, whose name was given as Mr. Smoke Iwhere was not successful, but a nature of Rumuokani who spoke to The Tide on condition of anormity said that everything was on course, and that his community would not succumb to limitation.

It would be noted that this proposed sand site at Rumuokani Ogbakiri would be another sand site that would come on board in Ogbakiri after that of Oduoha Ogbakiri.