‘Absence of monarch cause of criminality in Rivers’

Amid growing crimes in some communities in River State, elders and chiefs in Kalabari kingdom, comprising three local council areas, have identified the absence of an elected monarch as the cause.

According to the elders, the absence of a people-elected Amanyanabo of Kalabari, is reason for the increase in crimes waves such as kidnapping, killings, assassination and cultism in the land.

One of the elders, who incidentally is contesting the Kalabari first-class stool, Mac Donald Oribo Abbi, disclosed in Port Harcourt that there has been legal battle for Kalabari throne in the past 16 years.

He said a High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt and presided over by Justice Teetio, had on May 16, 2016, declared the Kalabari stool vacant.

He alleged that the current Amanyanabo, Amachree xi, King Theophilus J.T. Princewill, manipulated his way into the throne, calling on him to obey court order and vacate the seat

He maintained that the people of Kalabari did not elect the king, saying that was the reason many things, including the tradition and culture of the kingdom have broken down.

Abbi said, “The legal battle started because the Amanyanabo installed himself as the king and the government of Rivers State at that time recognised him.

He added that in the court ruling, there was an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st defendant from parading himself as the Amanyanabo of Kalabari.”

He added that under the circumstance, the people were “happy over the judgment and want the Amanyanabo to know that there is no king in Kalabari for now.”

In his reaction however, the embattled King Princewill said he remains the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, declaring that he would appeal the court judgment.