Bayelsa Monarch Writes Police over Activities of Oil Thieves, Alleges Threat to Life

•As gunmen assassinate pipeline surveillance boss

Olusegun Samuel

The Paramount Ruler of Adagbabiri Community in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, HRH Alaowei Okee, has sent a save our soul letter to the State Commissioner of Police, Ben Okolo over the unlawful activities of suspected crude oil thieves in his domain, alleging that his refusal to agree with the shady activities led to threats to his life.

The Paramount Ruler, who also denied abandoning his throne and community due to the alleged threats from sponsors of the oil thieves, said he was duly elected by his people and gazetted by the State Government of which he receives their total support of not allowing such nefarious and dangerous activities in his domain.

Okee, while speaking with newsmen yesterday, in Yenagoa, said though the suspected oil thieves had approached him over the need to allow them set up an illegal oil bunkering site in the area and offered to pay him some certain amount monthly, he refused.

According to him “They approached me about two months ago in my palace and sought my cooperation with them to use my community as base for their illegal bunkering activities, and even offered to pay me N200, 000 per truck of oil offloaded from the community’s water front, but I refused to oblige to their request.”

He further explained that he refused their offer because apart from the financial benefits offered him, the community would suffer serious environmental degradation and pollution, adding that it would further attract hoodlums with resultant cult clashes and unnecessary gun running activities that would bring about other security breaches as being observed in communities where such illegal activity takes place.

“To my chagrin, I discovered that the illegal oil activities were conceived despite my objections. At this junction I would want to correct other reports going on this matter.

“I first put call through to the Deputy Governor and when he was unreachable I quickly reported to the State Commissioner of Police, Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp and the Nigerian Navy.

“I never for once got through to the state’s Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo where he promised to relieve the appointees of their appointments if they are found culpable in the illegal trade” as reported in other reportage.”

Okee said since he raised the alarm, he has received multiple calls from the accused political appointee and unknown callers threatening to snuff life out of him.

“They have rained insults and other threats on me and therefore I wish all concerned authorities to wade into this matter to bringing the perpetrators to book as a stitch in time saves nine.”

A similar incident had occurred in the Kalaba community of Yenagoa local Government council area of the State where the Paramount ruler and the CDC Chairman of Kalaba Community in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State, Chief Francis Kolubo and Mr. Samuel Oburo, were brutally murdered by persons suspected to be goons of the barons of crude oil pilfering.

Meanwhile, three gunmen suspected to be hired assassins have killed the Head of Operations of Darlon Oil and Gas Limited, an oil pipelines surveillance company.

The management of the company that regrettably announced the death of Indukakpo Ogede, said he was killed in an execution style, by three armed men suspected to be hired assassins in a hotel, off Tamic road Okutukutu, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Indukakpo who hails from Gada’s Compound in Igbomotoru 1 Community in Southern Ijaw LGA was shot twice by his assailants about 7.45pm on Sunday, leaving him to die in a pool of his own blood.

It was revealed that the killers who dressed in uniforms that resembled that of the security operatives, entered the hotel in the afternoon of that ill-fated Sunday and paid for three rooms. It was further gathered that after they lodged, they went to the bar of the hotel, where they drank beer while waiting for their victim who had gone out for an assignment.

According to eyewitness, the behaviour of the assailants raised suspicion and as a result, friends of the deceased decided to put calls through to warn him but he allegedly didn’t take the calls because he was driving at the time.

Unfortunately, when he arrived the premises of the hotel about 7:45pm, the gunmen ran towards him, shot him twice, one on the chest and the other on his lower abdomen before he died.

The victim was eventually confirmed dead at the Gloryland Hospital at Opolo, Yenagoa, several minutes later, from where his body was moved to the morgue at the Federal Medical Center.

A statement by Chief Levi Wilson, Chairman, Darlon Oil and Gas Limited stated, “We wish to use this medium to appeal to the various law enforcement agencies to investigate the killing and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book in a bid to ensure that such incident do not repeat itself in the nearest future.

“For us, this is one death too many, particularly because the deceased left behind his parents, wife and children. We wish this never happened, but we are all pencils in the hands of our maker.

“We are, therefore, left with no choice than to accept God’s decision. We commiserate with the family of the deceased and the entire Darlon Oil and Gas Limited family.

“We share in the pains of his family and pray the almighty God to strengthen them at this somber time and always. We also pray for the repose of his soul.”