Community Leader Cries Out Over Alleged Murder Of Relation, Others

A community leader and elite in Kono Boue Community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Dr. Promise Abanee, is definitely not a happy man today, following the alleged gruesome murder of his only surviving uncle, Mr. Nubari Ifaah, said to be a 77-year-old retired teacher; his friend and neighbour, Mr. Ideebom Monday Beteh, and a host of other indigenes of his community, by gunmen suspected to be cultists on a genocide mission, to apparently exterminate his people.
Consequent upon this, Dr. Abanee, who lamented what is currently playing out in the community, said in a chat with The Tide that the place is now a ghost town, as the inhabitants have fled their homes, with some of them scattered around Bori, the local government headquarters.
According to him, his uncle met his untimely death on Monday, August 23, 2021, when he visited the community from Bori, to see Mr. Ideebom Monday Beteh, whom he learnt had been at home for over two days, with a promise to return on Tuesday.
He said Mr. Ifaah as planned, could, however, not return to Bori, where he was living at the younger brother’s place, because over 20 gunmen had allegedly invaded the community that Monday, shot and killed three other persons before abducting the retired teacher and his friend. He also alleged that the invaders destroyed windows and doors of buildings in the community before leaving.
Dr. Abanee further alleged that the mangled bodies of the two victims, Ifaah and Beteh, were located in a bush far away from the community on Thursday, August 26, 2021, with a unit of the police in Bori providing security, contending that the remains of the victims were buried same day.
He listed the names of those who had earlier been allegedly killed by the gunmen to include Barikui Yor-ho, Torne Bari Bakpo; Emmanuel Atangsi Deele; Samuel Agbokara; and Lekara Stephen Bira.
Others are Bariya Kaanagbara; Baridakara Sorkue; Blessing George; Baridoolenu Dike Baesor; and Gbara-Akpo Imanyie; among others.
With this revelation, Dr Abanee said Kono Boue Community is today facing a humanitarian crisis, and pleaded for the urgent intervention of the Rivers State Government and the international community, to stem the spate of killings in the area.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Bori, SP Bako Angwashim denied allegations that people were being killed in Kono Boue Community, insisting that residents were deserting the town out of fear and suspicion.
He said the police were fully prepared to maintain law and order in any troubled community in Ogoniland, and appealed to the people of Kono Boue to return to their community.
According to him, “nothing is happening in Kono Boue Comunity”.
It would, however, be recalled that the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Dr. Thomas Bariere had reportedly visited the community recently as a result of the unfolding unfortunate incidents, and appealed to all communities of Boue to abide by a subsisting peace agreement.