ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Indigenes and residents of Igbomotoru community of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have protested the killing of a father of five, Mr Young Adolphus Major, who was allegedly killed by gunboat operators of an unnamed prominent politician and businessman in the area.
The protesters which happened on Saturday led to the locking down of Igbomotoru and adjoining communities such as Olugbobiri.
The protesters said they hit the streets in order to ventilate their grievances and to let the world know about the incessant killings occurring in the area as a result of a surveillance contract allegedly being handled by the politician.
The leader of the protest, Mr Pronto Justice, said that in the incident that occurred yesterday, two persons were severely injured and three were still missing.
Justice claimed the incident of extra-judicial killings of indigenes and residents alike had been rampant in the area and they wanted the relevant authorities to wade in to address the issues.
He also claimed that the rampant killings of indigenes were perpetrated by the aides of the prominent politician and businessman who had been oppressing the people because they were opposed to the way he was running a surveillance contract of an oil company in the area.
Justice vowed that the protest would continue to shut down commercial and economic activities until the government came to investigate the incessant killings of the community people because of the vested interest of one man.
He said that in the current development that triggered the protest, six persons were in a commercial boat to sell their water snails in neighbouring communities when a gunboat, allegedly owned by the contractor, pulled up on the sea and started shooting indiscriminately.
He alleged that the armed men in the gunboat attempted to kidnap the occupants of the commercial boat and in the process, the deceased and two other persons jumped into the water in order to escape them.
He claimed that the other three remaining occupants in the boat, who could not jump out of the boat, were beaten to a pulp and seriously injured before they left them in an unconscious state.
Justice said: “We learnt that six persons were in the boat. We have checked around and we have seen only four bodies. Three are alive and one person is dead. Two are yet to be found and the community has sent people to search everywhere, yet the people are not found.
“We are hereby calling on the Douye Diri-led government to wade in to help the community. We don’t know the whereabouts of the remaining two persons.
Also speaking about the protest, spokesman for the kingdom, Chief Joseph Bump, said he and other community chiefs joined the protest because the killing of Major was one incident too many.
He said: “I represent the chiefs and all the people of Igbomotoru kingdom. The oil company and the surveillance company owned by a prominent politician have been suffering the people for a long time. How long can parents and community leaders close their eyes and see the people dying?
“From 2012 up until today, the company has been mistreating our people for voicing out against their nefarious activities in the area. Since 1972 when the oil company started operations in our area, we can tell you that Igbomotoru which has been living with Olugbobiri has been under siege. The mastermind of the atrocity is from the other community and we don’t know what we have done to him that he wants to eliminate our people by force.
“Right from 2012 after the issues of militancy, some militants have been killing our people one by one. We have not been happy at the unfortunate development. As if that is not enough, this time around, the same situation has begun.”
He claimed that in 2012, the Igbomotoru people lost about 20 persons with many of their buildings destroyed to foundation level allegedly by the agents of the powerful politician.
He further said: “Yet the oil company did not take care of anything that was destroyed in the community let alone compensating the deceased families. The oil company has been using a divide-and-rule system, giving the oil contract to one person who had been eliminating our people gradually.
“In the last two months, a spill occurred and they alleged that members of the community were responsible. So many of our people were detained and had to spend plenty of money before they were released.
“Let us make it clear here that community leaders are not involved in pipelines; we are just at home but the same person has started again to wreak havoc on our people, leading to the killing of a young man in our community.
“In the name of Igbomotoru kingdom, we want to say enough is enough. Let the oil company and the government hand over this contract to reasonable people within Igbomotoru kingdom because they are capable of handling it. We are displeased with what is happening. We want the contract to go to our people because we are an oil-bearing community instead of giving it to one person that does not want us alive.
“What we have decided about the death of this boy is that the killer must take care of everything including his family as he was married with five children. The community has nothing to do about it now. We want the contractor who caused the death of Major to take care of every person in his family because the deceased was the breadwinner of the family.”
He warned that if the government and other relevant authorities failed to address the injustice done to the people of Ignomotoru kingdom, they would be left with no other option but to take laws into their hands to ensure that justice is served.
Another protester, Kennedy Owei, said the protest became imperative because of the disturbances caused by the surveillance company, noting that since the exploration of oil and gas activities in the community, their people were being killed mindlessly every day and night.
He said: “The surveillance company has killed many persons in our community and just last night they succeeded in killing Young Adolphus. It is a sad one for the community and we are tired of it. I want to call on the relevant authorities in the state to address this issue quickly, if not there will be a state of emergency in this territory.”
The driver of the boat, who joined the protesters, Kennedy Bomowei, 65, stated: “Yesterday, two boys met me and said that they had many water snails. They asked me to take them to where they wanted to sell the items.
“We agreed on the price. We were six in number. Two had the water snails and others joined us for them to be dropped along the way. As we were about to get to a certain river, we saw a big boat coming with shining light. We parked somewhere to give them space to pass. In no distant time, we saw a gunboat by the side.
“As they came, they enquired who we were. Before we could explain ourselves, they started shooting indiscriminately. As a result, three persons in the boat jumped down because of fear. The gunboat, thereafter, left.
“The occupants were wearing army uniforms. I was helpless. I could not save them. One died and two are still missing. They asked me to lie down and I did. They beat me and others still left in the boat mercilessly. Some were seriously injured. They made away with all the water snails and took them to their boat and left.”