Council Boss Reads Riot Act As Ogoni Communities Resume Hostilities …Vows To Restore Peace

Peeved by fresh hostilities between Bomu and Lewe communities in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chairman of the council, Hon. Paul Kobani has threatened to take harsh measures against trouble makers in a bid to ensure that peace returns to the area.
The fresh crisis is coming eight months after representatives of the two warring communities, comprising traditional rulers and youth leaders signed a peace deal in the presence of some prominent Ogoni leaders with a promise to keep to the pact.
The Tide recalls that representatives of the two warring communities, including traditional rulers and youth leaders had on December 10, 2018 signed a peace deal promising to adhere to the terms of the pact.
Narrating the fresh crisis, an indigene of Lewe told newsmen that armed men dressed in military uniform in company of Bomu people invaded Lewe and started shooting sporadically, destroyed traditional shrines and carted away seven motorcycles, just as he accused the council chairman of bias in handling the crisis.
The source identified as Batom who made the allegation called on the federal government to investigate the role of the military and unmask the armed men dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms.
But Kobani who led a joint military taskforce (JTF) command and the police in Gokana to the scene of the crisis advised both communities to learn to live together in peace even as he debunked allegations of bias in some quarters.
While condemning the renewed crisis, he expressed sadness that the communities were yet to overcome the pains, wounds and destruction they suffered during the last conflicts, saying it will be totally senseless for anybody to anticipate another round of crisis in Lewe and Bomu just as he called on security agencies to deal decisively with anyone causing trouble from either side.
According to Kobani, “It is regrettable that after months of peaceful co-existence between these two communities they have resumed hostilities. I want to condemn this senseless war in its totality. I advise the two communities to live together in peace as brothers and as neighbours because there is no gain in war.
“I have tried my best and I will continue to do what is right with the support of the security agencies to stamp out insecurity in the area and will not be discouraged or soften my stance despite cheap blackmail from certain quarters. There must be peace not only in Bomu and Lewe, but in Gokana as a whole. That is what I stand for” Kobani stated, pointing out that the JTF acted professionally to prevent the crisis from escalating”.

Dennis Naku