Council Faults Police Claim On Chairman’s Arrest

The Andoni Local Govern
ment Council has described as false the purported claim by the Rivers State Police Command that the arrest of the council chairman, Hon. Orom Nte Ereforokuma, was based on petition against him by some indigenes of Ebukuma community.
The Director of Communications, Andoni Local Government Council, Mr. Solomon Parakom, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the arrest was purely political as the chairman was never a signatory in any agreement involving communities on the issue of land.
Mr Parakom acknowledged that some indigenes of Ebukuma community among whom are Chief T. T. Owo Charles Mbaba (Jr), among others had petitioned the chairman alleging forceful entry into their land and malicious damage to their economic trees, allegations which were all false.
According to him, the land in question which presently harbours the Rivers State Government Aquaculture project was donated by Gomkiri Otu-Okorolo and Ebon-Edikile communities to the state government.
“The donor communities had signed agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Ebukuma community was neither one of the donors nor a signatory to the land pact which Andoni local government council only witnessed the signing ceremony.
“Neither the present ANOLGA chairman nor the council itself is a direct beneficiary of the land donation” he said.
The council director of communication also posited that Ebukuma community was not even joined in the suit instituted by one Chief Ogodo of Otu-Okorolo and Chief-elect, Barrister Gideon Elebe, as defendants against the council and the Rivers State Government asking for recognition as owner of Gomkiri and Ebon Edikile communities.
He urged the people to discountenance the reasons given by the police.