Rivers
Group Decries Claim Over Bukuma Royal Stool
The Council of Chiefs in conjunction with the amalgam of all statutory bodies in Bukuma, “Agum Itu Omora”, Community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, has decried claims by one Mr. Precious Elekima that he is the paramount ruler of Bukuma.
In a Vanguard news report of Thursday, January 23, 2025, titled: NNPCL Disobeys court order on cluster establishment, Mr. Precious Elekima was addressed as the “Paramount ruler of Bukuma”.
Reacting to the claims of Precious Elekima, the Chairman of Agum Itu Omora, Dr. Igbarima Alex, said it was a “gross misinformation, a deliberate intent to mislead the public and an affront on the sensibility of the people of Bukuma Community to address Mr. Precious Elekima as ‘Paramount Ruler of Bukuma’.
He stated that King Stephen J. Tobins, Akee X remained the only recognized Royal Highness of Bukuma.
According to Dr. Alex, while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, His Highness Tobins is recognized by the Rivers State Government and is a member of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and can only be derecognised by the Rivers State Governor.
He continued that “the claims of one Mr. Precious Elekima over the royal stool of the community is spurious and lacks validity, for there cannot be two monarchs in a community at the same time.
Speaking on behalf of the Council of Chiefs of Bukuma (Agum), Chief Usman Ngeribo Douglas, the Public Relations Officer of the Council, also stated that there was no time Precious Elekima was installed a Chief in the community.
Giving historical antecedents of ascendance to the royal stool of the community, he said Precious “is not an installed chief of Bukuma and does not belong to the Royal family, and so cannot be a traditional ruler of the community.
“Ascendance to the kingship stool of the community alternates between the Attah and Alalibo Families of Krigbo Group of families since the reign of King Akee (1771-1801) who succeeded King Odu of the extinct Omoh Group of Families.
“Historically, the 10 kings that have ruled the Bukuma Community from the 16th Century A.D. when the people settled at the present place of abode, none is from the family of Mr. Precious”.
He stated past monarchs from Krigbo Group of Families as: King Akee IV (1771-1801); King Ekine, V (1801-1838), King Attah, VI (1840-1884); King Alalibo, VII (1886-1904); King Ikiriko, VIII (1906-1952); King Stanley Tobins, IX (1962-2005).
“To put the records straight, the present King, Stephen J. Tobins, X was installed in 2013 and was subsequently recognized by the Rivers State Government”, he added.
Douglas urged the public, the Rivers State Government, Degema Local Government Area Chairman, NNPCL, AGIP, NLNG and all multinational companies to discountenance claims of Precious as being the monarch of Bukuma Community.
The spokesmen described such claims as “the antics of a self-seeking and over ambitious personality that can only happen in this case only when elephants can fly like birds”.
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The Rivers State Multi-Stakeholder Action Committee on the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), a non-profit organization dedicated to combating gender-based violence in the State, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, to seek his support and partnership for a planned sensitization programme for Police GBV Desk Officers.
The delegation was led by the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Lauretta Davies Dimpka, alongside the Committee’s Coordinator, Barr. Evelyn Membere Asimiea.
Speaking during the meeting, the Coordinator explained that the committee comprises various stakeholders, including FIDA, the media, security agencies, and traditional and religious institutions.
She noted that the initiative is funded by ActionAid Nigeria with support from the Ford Foundation, with the goal of strengthening efforts to eliminate gender-based violence in Rivers State.
“We have carried out several engagements, including community advocacy programmes and the training of female cultural influencers, among other activities,” she said.
In his response, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, pledged his full support for the initiative and assured the committee of the Police Command’s readiness to collaborate in strengthening GBV response mechanisms across the state.
Members of the delegation also included heads of sub-committees within the group: Barr. Ere Boma (Advocacy); Dr. Mary Obisike (Response); Martha Igbiks ( Information and Awareness); and Brown Musa Afonyagha (Religious/Traditional).
Observers described the engagement as a significant step toward enhancing coordination and improving the response to gender-based violence in Rivers State.
Youths from Igwuruta Community in Rivers State have condemned the killing of the Secretary of Omuolu-Omunwei Community in Igwuruta, Mr. Nchelem Samuel Festus, describing the incident as tragic and unacceptable.
In a communiqué issued on February 12, 2026, the youth body said Mr. Festus was allegedly murdered on Tuesday February 10, 2026, by commercial motorcycle operators identified as “Aboki bike riders” within the community.
The group expressed sadness and outrage over the development, stating that the killing has heightened tension in the area and disrupted the peace for which Igwuruta has long been known.
According to the communiqué, the incident is part of what the community described as a growing wave of criminal activities, including rape, kidnapping and other violent crimes allegedly perpetrated by the same group.
The youth body said Igwuruta has historically maintained a reputation as a peaceful and hospitable community where residents and visitors carry out their daily activities without fear.
It, however, noted that recent events and what it termed as “escalating violence” have created fear among residents and necessitated urgent intervention.
The communiqué called for the immediate suspension of all motorcycle operations by the group within Igwuruta.
It also demanded the closure of scrap-dump sites in the community allegedly operated by the said individuals.
Furthermore, the youth body urged security agencies to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the killing of Mr. Festus and perpetrators of other alleged crimes in the area.
It also called on cattle herders to vacate farmlands in Igwuruta and urged herdsmen to stay away from bushes within the community with immediate effect.
While pledging to uphold the rule of law and refrain from self-help, the youth body gave security agencies a 48-hour ultimatum to act on some of its demands, particularly the suspension of motorcycle operations and closure of scrap sites.
The communiqué appealed to security agencies, local government authorities and other stakeholders to treat the matter with urgency and collaborate with the community to restore peace and ensure justice.
As at the time of filing this report, the Police has not issued any official statement about the incident.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to expand access to reliable and sustainable electricity across the Niger Delta region.
The agreement, signed at the headquarters of the REA in Abuja, is intended to strengthen institutional collaboration in accelerating development in underserved communities in the region.
A statement by the Director, Corporate Affairs of the NDDC, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, said the pact underscores renewed efforts by the two federal interventionist agencies to deepen cooperation and fast-track infrastructure delivery.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, described the MoU as a strategic step towards realising the Commission’s vision to “light up the Niger Delta” in line with national priorities on distributed energy expansion.
Ogbuku said “the agreement represents a shared institutional responsibility to deliver reliable energy solutions that will enhance livelihoods, stimulate local economies and create broader opportunities across the nine Niger Delta states.”
According to him, electricity remains a critical enabler of national development, support for job creation, healthcare delivery, education and inclusive economic growth.
He noted that the collaboration would help unlock the economic potential of rural communities while advancing broader national development objectives.
The NDDC boss added that the Commission has consistently adopted partnership-driven approaches in executing projects in the region and is prepared to support the implementation of the MoU by leveraging its community presence and infrastructure development capacity.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the REA to ensure the timely and effective execution of the agreement.
The NDDC delegation at the event included the Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai; Executive Director, Corporate Services, Otunba Ifedayo Abegunde; Director, Legal Services, Mr. Victor Arenyeka; Director, Finance and Supply, Mrs. Kunemofa Asu; and Director, Liaison Office, Abuja, Mrs. Mary Nwaeke.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the REA, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the MoU as a natural collaboration between two agencies with complementary mandates, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding access to sustainable electricity in rural communities.
“The Niger Delta remains central to Nigeria’s economic fortunes and must be supported by infrastructure capable of driving productivity, enterprise and improved living standards”, Aliyu said.
He adding that the partnership signals readiness to deliver stable power to communities that have long awaited reliable electricity supply.
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