Residents desert Rivers community over alleged military invasion

Diri’s claim on Soku oil well unfortunate, says Wike
Some residents of Okoma Community in Ahoada East Council Area of Rivers State have deserted the locality following alleged invasion of military officers.

Consequently, the community has called on the Federal and the Rivers State governments to urgently intervene to save the people from extermination.

Paramount Ruler of the Community, Chief Felix Ogubie, told journalists during a visit to the area yesterday, that the residents have moved to nearby communities to take refuge following harassment from the military personnel, who invaded the area at the weekend.

Although, the reason for the invasion was yet to be ascertained, it might not be unconnected with ongoing illegal oil bunkering business in the area.

Ogubie said, “We were in our homes when soldiers came and started shooting and destroying houses. They said they were after oil thieves. They beat up our women and men.”

He disclosed that those perpetuating the illegal oil business were not from the community, alleging that the military officers work with them for their own selfish gains

RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has advised the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFAC) to ignore his Bayelsa State counterpart, Douye Diri’s request for revenue from Soku oilfields to be reversed to his state.He described Governor Diri’s assertion that Soku Oil Well belonged to Bayelsa State as absurd and unfortunate.

While hosting RMAFAC delegation led by its Chairman, Mohammed Kabiru Usman at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, he said the Soku Oil Well belonged to Rivers State and urged the commission to continue to ensure the payment of the accruing revenue to the state.

Wike, however, commended the commission for its effort to correct fraudulent practices adopted by some states to gain financial advantage, assuring that the state would continue to interface with the commission to make their work easy.He further advocated a new revenue sharing formula that would make the states to get more money for development purposes.

The governor pointed out that the states bore more development burden and would require more money to cater to the needs of the people.

Responding, Usman said the delegation was on an advocacy and sensitisation tour to the state, saying their 2018 verification exercise was fraudulent, as data supplied by some states were spurious.