07042018 - Investigate your ministers

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 7, 2018—17
RIVERS:
•Kidnappers adopt new approach
•Mba Boy replaces Don Waney
•Nwike laments, Police grumble
Mutual suspicion, partisan emotions continue to compromise collective
bargaining to save majority defenseless Rivers state populace from the pains
of unending reign of cult violence and terror.
By Egufe Yafugborhi
Rivers state residents in Omoku and
entire Ogba Ndoni and Egbema Local
Government Area (ONELGA) are
cheeringly enjoying new lease of peace, as
sudden proactive runs of operations by security
operatives provoked gradual extermination
of Chief Johnson Igwedibia, a.k.a. Don Waney
and key associates of his reign of terror which
hitherto left several innocents murdered in
that locality.
However, the development in
ONELGA has not extended as
much hope and sense of safety
to residents in other high risk
Rivers localities where criminals
continue to visit, with impunity,
terror on majority defenseless
populace. Unless concerted
efforts are made to check the
trend, many fear that another
Don Waney, perhaps more, are
gradually rising in some of these
other places.
Wave of terror
Egbalor community, Eleme
local government area, Rivers
state, has been under siege in the
last couple of weeks as Mba Joe,
wanted cultist and kidnap
kingpin relentlessly torments
the people. Mba Joe, a.k.a. Mba
Boy, is on wanted list of the Rivers
state Police Command and that
of Governor Nyesom Wike who
placed a N20Million bounty on
him among others in his
recently released security watch
list.
Paramount Ruler of Egbalor, HRH Godwin
Chinwi, alleged that the terror gang leader
has kidnapped five residents for ransom in
the last couple of weeks and only days ago
burnt the house of another victim, Eyina
Ngechu for refusing to pay N200,000
gratification over a new car the victim
acquired.
The worried Egbalor monarch said,
“Sometime ago, Engr. S.N. Nwafolor was
adopted in the middle of the night. I was one
of those who went to the banks to get
N10Million to pay as ransom,
but they took the money and
still killed him. This time
around, we are experiencing a
sophisticated level of same act.
The approach now is If you
don’t give me what I want, I
will burn your house. You have
an option, either you give me
millions or your house is
burnt”
Narrating how the criminal
gang tried to burn his family
of seven inside his three
bedroom home, Eyina
Ngechu said, “They broke into
my wife’s shop and burnt
everything inside. Then they
said if I don’t open my house
for them, they will burn me and
my family inside. They started
burning my house. From my
wife’s bedroom, my room,
parlour and dining, they were
burning everywhere. My
saving grace was the kitchen
where we took cover. They had
no entrance. If not for God’s
grace, they would have burnt
my entire family, before soldiers came to our
rescue around 2am.”
Rivers state
Commissioner of
Police, CP Ahmed Zaki,
in response to the
situation said, “This guy
is on our wanted list, he
remains wanted and I
appeal to any member
of the public with useful
information that can
lead to his arrest to come
forward. Any
information given to us
will be treated as utmost
confidentiality”. Zaki
has further placed
police’s own N1Million
bounty on Mba Joe.
Heads roll in
Omerelu
In Omerelu, Ikwerre
local government area,
where cult attacks left
five persons beheaded
not long now, residents
are calling on security
authorities to establish
a joint task force to
restore law and order in
the community as the
unpredictable mayhem
has left shops, schools,
churches and all
businesses and social
activities shut. Residents
have turned to refugees
in their areas.
The approach
now is If you
don’t give me
what I want, I
will burn your
house. You
have an
option, either
you give me
millions or
your house is
burnt
The community’s traditional ruler said, “We
don’t sleep in the house. In fact
from 7pm we sleep in the bush.
Even in day time, those boys will
come from the bush, shooting
military types of gun.
“Those boys will come from the
bush, If they see a dog, a goat,
they will kill. A situation where
they come to the market to
confront traders and buyers.
They meet you and say, give me
money. If you hesitate they pull
up their shirt to show the nuzzle
of guns and you comply”
“Our women don’t go to farm
again, because they will ambush
them, seize their bikes and
handsets. Our young girls going
to the farm are waylaid, dragged
into hiding, beaten and raped.
Those who put up resistant are
sometimes killed. The situation
has gotten out of hand”
Beyond Eleme and Omerelu,
in Ajakaja, Andoni local
government, unpredictable fatal
cult invasions, kidnappings and
clashes are equally common
experiences that leave residents
displaced and economic
activities disrupted, aggravating
hardship among the people.
Mutual suspicion
While the criminals enjoy
impunity in the siege over the
communities, key stakeholders
Continues from pg 18
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