How over 400 people were killed, 100 houses burnt in four years – Andoni chiefs

Some traditional rulers in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have decried increasing insecurity in the local government, which has persisted for over three years.

The concerned Traditional Rulers Chief and Elders Council narrated how over four hundred persons have lost their lives, about one hundred houses razed down and several residents of Andoni communities sacked from their homes within the period in question.

Addressing newsmen in Andoni on Sunday, the Paramount ruler of Atah-Obolo Community, His Eminence King Johnson Daniel-Owurong-Ekumumbuban who read out the position of his people, attributed the security challenges in the area to the installation of a King in the local government against the wishes of the people.

The Paramount ruler of Atah-Obolo community noted that the said King was illegally installed by the political class and some other traditional rulers in Andoni.

Daniel-Owurong-Ekumumbuban said “ in the past few years, the security situation in Andoni has degenerated to a more despicable level. It is sad to know that while the situation continues to deteriorate in the past three years, our traditional institution and leaders forced on the people of Andoni by those who call themselves political class were busy nodding their heads and clapping their hands for the emerging monsters that has been sending our people to their early graves and making our ancient community to unfortunately go into extinction.

“As we speak, grasses have taken over and overgrown our homes which had either been vandalized, destroyed, looted or utterly burnt.

“For instance, in the Asarama community alone, over one hundred house were burnt, destroyed and looted to the least pin between 2017 and today, not by any external aggression, but by criminals, cultists and militants from within the communities of Andoni.”

The King also narrated how the palace of the King of Oyeada town King Otuo Isreal and over twenty other houses were burnt down in the community in 2017.

He disclosed that almost all the houses in Egendem community in the Local Government were also vandalised, forcing over ninety percent of the residents to flee for safety.

According to him the palace of late King Ngo town was also vandalized alongside about five other houses within the period in review”.

He also recalled how many people were killed in Ajagaja Samanja Iboteridema Otuafor axis and houses destroyed, leaving the community deserted due to cult activities.”

The kings and elders therefore called on the Rivers State Government to come to their aid and stop the causes of the increasing insecurity in their local government area.