Rivers
Community Seeks Military Intervention Over Renewed Cultists’ Invasion
The people of Obelle Community in Emohua Local Government Area have called on the military to deploy all its necessary arsenal to the community and salvage them from the hands of the secret cult members ravaging the community.
This plea came from a particular leader of the community who pleaded anonymity in a telephone chat with The Tide yesterday.
The community leader who said he was seeking refuge in a nearby community, wants the military to see their situation as critical and act accordingly.
He expressed regrets that Obelle was the first community to be thrown back to the olden dark days when secret cult members sacked most communities in Ikwerre and Emohua Local Government Areas.
The source narrated that trouble started when the Obelle OSPAC allegedly killed a soldier who was a native of the community some time last month. Based on that development according to him, the military pounced on the OSPAC and dislodged them.
He further hinted that the vigilante group’s ouster by the military weighed more when the Paramount Ruler, HRH, Eze Sunday Wobodo Jona, proscribed the vigilante group in sympathy with the slain soldier.
Armed with the information, he said, the cultists invaded and took back possession of the community in less than two days of the OSPAC’s ouster.
It was not clear about the particular cult group that is ‘incharge’ of the community for now, but all grown adults have fled the community for safety of their lives.
Recall that the cultists as it was learnt, were chased away by the vigilante group upon return from their training about four years ago.
A source from the palace clarified that the army has already settled their differences with OSPAC before the alleged killing of a certain OSPAC member by the suspected cultists that eventually led to their ouster, but did not mention how the proscription order will last.
As at the time of filing this report, the Army Public Relations Officer, Major Charles Ekeocha was yet to return the calls placed on his official cell phone contact.
By: King Onunwor
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.