Chiefs Deny Murder Of Police Officers In Abonnema

The Abonnema Council
of Chiefs in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, has denied some media reports that four marine police officials were allegedly killed in their community recently.
It would be recalled that four marine police men on a routine patrol along Abonnema Warf in Port Harcourt city local government water creek were ambushed by unknown gunmen recently.
Addressing journalists at the police officers mess in Port Harcourt, Monday, on behalf of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs after they sent a protest letter to state commissioner of police on the false publication against the community on the killing of the marine police personnel, Chief Oris Bobmanuel accompanied by Chief Godson Briggs, secretary of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs described the media publication as false publications one too many. Chief Bobmanuel expressed dismay that the condemnable crime that occurred in far away Abonnema Wharf, in Port Harcourt city local area of the state was labeled to have been committed in Abonnema community, AKULGA adding that the great injustice by the media publication was a misrepresentation of the Abonnema community.
According to him, it was not the first time Abonnema community was being negatively portrayed in the eyes of the public for a crime that never occurred in the area adding that the publication failed to reflect the confirmation of the police where the crime occurred.
“It is disheartening and disappointing to note that up till date the official position of the Rivers State Police Command regarding this dastardly act has not been made known, yet some media organisation whose responsibility is to cross-check facts threw away their professional ethics and went ahead to publish such unpleasant news about Abonnema community.
The Abonnema chiefs averred that as responsible custodians of the tradition of the people of Abonnema, they would relentelessly offer unreserved cooperation and support to the security agencies in the state and government with a view to nipping in the bud any crime in the community no matter whose ox is gored.
The Abonnema council of chiefs while sympathizsing with the state police command and the bereaved families over the lost of the four officers urged the police and the media to make public on the actual place where the killing took place adding that in doing so, the tension and smearing of the good image of the community by the said publication will be put to stop.
They urged the general public to disregard the said publication adding that Abonnema community is noted for peace and hospitality even as they pledged their support to both security agencies and the state government in the fight against criminality in the area.