…narrates how it all happened

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has cautioned those twisting the Okomu attack incident to desist from such an act or face the wrath of the law.

Recall that some militia allegedly led by one Lawrence Yanbor invaded the community on May 14, 2024, burnt down over 30 houses in the community, shot some Edo State Security Network personnel in their base in the community and also set ablaze double (85) Horse Power Speed Boat donated by the Edo State Government.

The terrorists were said to have  also invaded the community on June 7, attacked military personnel and also shot the traditional ruler of the community.

But some online publications believed to have been paid twisted the story, saying the military carried  out the May 14 2024 attack where over 30 houses were burnt, and also that of June 7, 2024 attack, where three military personnel were injured and the traditional ruler of the community shot.

READ ALSO:Okomu Attack: Edo Govt Has Failed In Its Responsibility; We Need Military Base – Community

Putting the record straight, Chief Freeman Cousin, INC Chairman, Okomu clan, while debunking the report being twisted that military came to attack Okomu community on the invitation of the traditional ruler, said the report was not only misleading but cooked by some mischievous persons and rumour mongers.

Chief Cousin, who said he is also affected as his house was completely burnt down by the gang, added: “I wish to categorically state that publication by some ill-trained bloggers a few days ago that our king invited Lawrence and his gang for a meeting in disguise for them to be arrested by the military is not true. This is a lie peddled by Lawrence and his supporters. And the online platforms, rather than calling chiefs in the kingdom or persons like me who represent the apex body of the Ijaw nation in the kingdom, failed to do so but went ahead to publish the lies. This is an unprofessional conduct in the little I know about journalism. Now, if we take such online platforms to court, they will call us all sorts of names.”

He added: “This is exactly what happened in Okomu. There was information, according to the 4 Brigade Commander, that there were some persons that were involved in the Okuama killings in Delta State that were hiding in Okomu forest with Lawrence Yanbor. So, on the 7th of May,  they went to Okomu community led by 4 Brigade Commander, and from there they went to Okorodudu and to Opuba where Lawrence and his group were hiding. So, on the third day of their stay the soldiers pulled out from the area in line with the directive from the 4 Brigade Commander, believing that there would be peace.

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“Lawrence Yanbor and his gang came to Okomu community and alleged that it was Okomu community people that brought the army.

“Lawrence and his gang thereafter invaded the community and burnt down over 30 houses including mine, the base of Edo State Security Network and double (85) Horse Power Speed Boat Edo State Government donated.”

He continued: “After this incident, the Brigade Commander sent another troop to the scene of the crime. Thereafter, they left some soldiers at Makilolo community. They were saddled with the responsibility of maintaining peace through regular patrol between Makilolo community and Okomu community.

“And this was exactly what they were doing when on the 7th of June, on their normal routine patrol, they went to Okomu community and went to the King’s palace to greet him and stayed with him for a while. Immediately they left, according to the King, Lawrence and his gang surrounded the palace, and said they heard that the soldiers were in the palace. But unfortunately, the soldiers had left before they came.

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“So, as this happened , the king put a call across to one of the leaders of the troop and informed them that Lawrence and his gang have taken over his palace. They were about entering their boat en route to Makilolo community, but because of the call from the King, they retrieved and as they were trying to get back to the palace for intervention as requested by the king, Lawrence and his gang laid ambush on the soldiers and opened fire on the soldiers.

“At this point, three soldiers sustained injury. The gang scattered the soldiers gunboat glass with bullets.

“After the attack on soldiers, the gang went back to the palace, shot the king, destroyed his house and took away some valuables from the palace. As people tried to rush the King to hospital, the gang stopped them, insisting that he must die. But along the line some persons summoned courage and rushed the king into a wooden boat to an undisclosed hospital in Ondo State. As we speak, he is still receiving treatment,” he narrated.

On allegation that the king invited the soldiers to Okomu to attack Lawrence and his gang and that the soldiers shot him (king), Chief Cousin questioned: “If truely he invited the soldiers, would they have shot him? Would they have destroyed his palace and cart away valuables?”

Chief Cousin thereafter warned those twisting the Okomu attack to desist from such an act, stating that any further twisted report by any platform whatsoever would be attended to legally.

The Anambra State Police Command said it has arrested two persons for armed robbery and rape.

The command also recovered locally made guns, six live cartridges and a motorcycle from the suspects.

This was disclosed in a press statement issued by the state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, on Sunday.

Ikenga said the suspects were we lp Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.

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He said, “In the early hours of 15/6/2024 police operatives attached to Abagana division arrested two serial offenders wanted on a case of alleged rape and armed robbery, recovered two locally-made double barrel guns, one locally-made single barrel gun, six live cartridges, and one Q-link motorcycle.

“The suspects are Chukwuma Diji ‘M’ a.k.a Sympathy or Chi-boy aged 35years of Obinagu Umudun Village, Abagana, and Michael Edochie ‘M’ a.k.a. Mikel aged 31years of Eziabunabu Umudun, Abagana, sometime last year 2023, allegedly raped a married woman at Obinagu Abagana and fled the community when security operatives attempted to arrest them.

“Also on 6/6/2024, the suspects broke into an apartment belonging to a young lady and raped her and her friend at gunpoint. The criminals later forced one of the victims to transfer money to his account after they took turns having sex with them. Chukwuma and Michael both confessed to the crime.”

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The Commissioner of Police Anambra State Police Command, CP Nnaghe Itam, ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, for a comprehensive look to get justice for the victims of the alleged crime.

He added that the suspects are to be arraigned in court after the investigation is concluded.

Gunmen on Saturday attacked the Umu-Ezuboke Umualor community in the Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu State.

Vanguard reported that no less than four persons with multiple gunshots have been presently hospitalized following the incident.

Narrating their ordeal in the hospital bed, one of the victims, Mr. Methodist Ejiagbo said: “Three months ago, some Abakaliki boys came to my house and told me that they will invade us with war, we are living in the farmlands. They said they would kill me and take over my house and land. One of them, Friday Ukeh said he would take over my house that it is the most beautiful house around.

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“So yesterday while returning to my house I saw two Hilux vans with a Sienna bus. The occupants wore clothes like police uniforms. They collected phones and matchets from our people returning from the farm but let the young go as one said the boy was not from Umu-Ezuboke.

“Then at night, at about 11 pm they came in and started shooting everybody, they shot me and I held them and they started shooting everybody, using cutlass on some people, even clubs they used to break some people’s hands. We were surprised. Three days ago they came with a talisman with a bag that looked like a Garri sack, we didn’t know it was a bullet sack. They stationed the medicine man at Nwankwo and I informed our people but they did not go.

“They came with two Hilux and one Sienna. We didn’t go to their place, we are Umualor and they are Amankanu people. One of them, Samuel, is an Abakaliki man who lived in Umualor, they now said that our land is Amankanu. It’s a combination of Amankanu and Abakaliki people.

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“Samuel Idenyi, one of them, is from Amankanu. Samuel Ede who is from Abakaliki was the one that collected phones from our people, that was in the evening, at night they now came in full force, attacked and started shooting at us.

“The man who shot me was Tubor, an Abakaliki man. I know all of them; the other ones are Friday Ukeh, Mark Anyigor, the other one is called stubborn, there was Roma Ekpete’s son, the other one is Oshimo’s son, they are the ones I saw, they were over 20 in number.”

The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe was yet to confirm the attack.