There is palpable fear among residents of Igbomotoru, Oyeregbeni and Peremabiri communities in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over the rising cases of attacks and forceful takeover of traditional institutions by some gunmen allegedly led by a militant identified as General Endurance Amagbin, over the control of illegal theft of crude oil in the area.
DAILY POST gathered that the militia group has already started recruiting youths for the illegal crude theft operations in the communities, having subjected traditional rulers of Igbemotoru, its satellite communities Lasukugbene, Beberegbene and Peremabiri communities to an unofficial oath of allegiance for his operations or get dethroned or killed.
It was also gathered that the affected communities are hosts to multi-million dollars Trunk 18 inches diameter Crude Oil Tebidaba/Igbomotoru/Brass pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited.
It was also learnt that many security personnel deployed to the area have allegedly been compromised by the operations of General Endurance Amagbin and his boys while he has started his cooking of crude oil known as “Kpo fire” in the area.
The Paramount Ruler of Igbomotoru (West Bomo) Community of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council, HRH Asemighen Ayibaikie Ofongo, BUO X, in a petition sent to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, to come to the rescue of the Bayelsa communities as the militia groups have continued to molest, beat up, vandalise houses and loot properties of those who go against their illegal activities in the area.
Ofongo, in the letter with reference number IGBO/Security/10102/Vol.1/32/22, pointed out that he was also a victim of the wrath of these gunmen with their leader, self-styled Amagbin subjecting him to the personal oath of allegiance to their operations and announcing his dethronement on state radio without the approval of the state government.
According to the petition, “The youths and elders of Igbemotoru community have become refugees in their community. The people of the Community and surrounding communities have not had any positive change since the self-styled General Endurance arrived. And he has also boasted that he has a connection to the top and that petitions sent out are sent back to him promising anyone writing such petition to be ready to accept any consequences of their actions. This has emboldened him to recruit jobless youths into his army in other to vandalize houses, loot properties therein.”
The worried monarch recounted that on the 11th of December,2021, the militia leader, Amagbin, ordered his squad to bring him at gunpoint, “Ammanawei was escorted under gunpoint by six gunmen into a waiting horsepower speed boat to a bush and into a shrine. I was ordered by the militia leader to take an oath of allegiance to him. When I protested and insisted I have earlier before my ancestors and even God sworn to be impartial in the discharge of my duties, he ordered his gunmen to fire several rounds of bullets above my head as a warning.
“I realized I could be shot dead in the shrine, so I succumbed to save my life and took the oath. Again, on the 12th of December, 2021, the Igbomotoru 1 community chiefs under the directive of the militia leader convened a meeting of all people of the town. The meeting has no other agenda besides the dethronement of the Amananawei. Some persons who attended the meeting queried the veracity of such a dethronement exercise. While many walked out of the meeting and the meeting ended on that note. Within days, a special announcement was sponsored by the militia leader and his boys of the dethronement on two radio stations in the state capital.
“The state government reacted spontaneously and denounced the dethronement as an exercise in futility and of no effect whatsoever. The paramount ruler as well went on air and denounced the purported dethronement. As it is now, I and some others who are against the notorious activities of Endurance Amagbin in the Igbomortoru community are not allowed access to our own community. We are calling on the Government to convene a peace meeting and in synergy with the Federal Government to please mop up all illegal arms and ammunition in the possession of non-state actors like the militia group now terrorizing the innocent people of Igbomotoru community.”
