Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
There have been bloody disturbances within the Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
* burn houses
* youths missing
There have been bloody disturbances within the Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Thus far, a number of houses within a refugee camp at Agbeta have been destroyed while a number of persons are feared dead or missing.
From what we have heard, the clash was between Gokana elements resettled at the refugee camp and some youths who allegedly hail from Ebubu.
The Telegraph could not establish as at press time what caused the crisis, but we have learnt that signs of trouble first emerged on Saturday.
Our sources say that the Eleme Local Government Council chairman who was billed to attend a burial in the area dashed off to the scene with the Divisional Police officer for Eleme to try and bring matters under control.
While the chairman and the security apparatus in the area stepped up their efforts, other events were playing out.
At least 14 youths believed to hail from Ebubu mobilized and launched a savage attack against the Gokana-born refugees at Agbeta.
What is known is that the rampaging youths that officials are simply tagging hoodlums succeeded in demolishing a number of thatched homes.
Local sources put the number at about eight.
The arsonists didn't get far. They ran into an ambush close to some oil pipelines.
Although a search for the whereabouts of some persons believed missing have yielded no result, there were vivid blood marks and other circumstantial evidence that suggests someone had be axed.
There were suggestions as well that there were tyre marks.
Where all this would lead is not known but the Council Chairman Chief Ngomah Ejoh told the Telegraph, security had been beefed up.
"As we speak", he disclosed during the interview, "everything is being done to restore law and order".
Many in the area blame the escalation of the trouble on the take over of the case from the Rivers Police Command by zone 6 in Calabar.
Those who oppose the take over allege Zone 6 has very little knowledge of the matter and so would not have the insight the Rivers Police Command would have on the issue.