Rivers Community Protests over Missing Youth Leaders

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The people of Rumuigbo Clan in Obio/Akpor local government area of Rivers State have protested the disappearance of two youth leaders of the community, after their visit in Abuja.

The missing youth leaders are Bobby Ezekiel, President-General of Ekinigbo Youths and Chamberlain Owhonda, President of Nkpolu Community Youths.

This is even as the community has accused the member representing Rivers State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Tony Okocha, and others of being responsible for the missing youth leaders.

Ezekiel Ogwutum, Head, Chief of Nkpolu Community in Rumuigbo Clan while leading the protest in the community yesterday, alleged that Okocha and his allies were responsible for the disappearance of the youth leaders.

He said the incident happened on Wednesday, when the youth leaders alongside other person’s from the community went to the office of the Inspector-General of Police to answer a summons on a petition against them but never returned back.

“Our youths and the entire people of Nkpolu Community are protesting because of what happened on Wednesday. Our sons were invited to Abuja by the IGP for questioning on a petition concerning the issue in Rumuigbo. 

They were not invited for arrest but for questioning and those that went are  Bobby Ezekiel, President-General of Ekinigbo Youths, Youth President of Nkpolu Community, Chamberlain Owhonda, Community Development Committee Chairman of Ngboadu, Nduka Etu, Okechukwu Chuku, HRH, Prof Reginald Amadi and the Clan Council Chairman, Chief Gabriel Chinwo.

“When they went, the IGP asked the DIG to interview them and after the interview, they were asked to go home and settle since its chieftaincy matter, but before they go, they should sign an undertaking so that there won’t be any problem in Rumuigbo which they did”. 

The monarch said while the other leaders were across the office of the IGP, Okocha, Billy Owhonda and Otu Wosu allegedly picked two of the two missing youths, saying that since then, they were yet to see their sons. 

“Their numbers are no longer going through, where they kept them, we don’t know and the DIG that interviewed them said he doesn’t know what happened, and that they only interviewed them and asked them to leave. So when we found out that we can’t reach our sons anymore, we decided to tell the world,” the monarch said.

He alleged that “before now, the President-General of Ekinigbo Youths, Bobby Ezekiel had told the world that Chief Tony Okocha was after him, so let Okocha, Billy  Owhonda and Otu bring back our sons to us”.

The community leader warned that: “If between today and tomorrow, we don’t see our children, the protest will be more than this. We are being peaceful and law abiding because we don’t want any breakdown of law and order in Rumuigbo”.

Also speaking, Mr. Uchendu Wele, Community Development Committee Chairman of Nkpolu Community joined in calling for the release of the youth leaders. 

The protesters carried placards with inscription such as “Tony Okocha, Billy Owhonda, Etu Wosu release our sons”, “Ekinigbo Youths wants their president amongst others.

Reacting on the allegation, Okocha said it was a mere blackmail by some politicians who felt threatened by his success.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain told THISDAY that the complaint should approach the security agencies for investigation to prove their claims.

He said: “Every sane Nigerian knows that issues of kidnap or abductions are within the precincts of the security agencies.

If the hirelings are strongly convinced about what they are alleging, shouldn’t they transfer the wasted energy, to report the case to the Security agencies rather than stage weak protests?

“I can’t patronise the cheap blackmailers who take their briefs from Politicians that I defeated roundly”, he added.