Photo: Leadership.ng
The people of Kula community in Rivers State have seized an oil vessel and two tugboats after a deadly boat mishap linked to a confrontation with oil operators. Some sources report at least 10 deaths, while others say 7 died and 8 were rescued alive.
Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, leader of the search and rescue mission and president of the youth organization National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), condemned the losses suffered by the community. “He has turned women into widows and children into orphans. He has made families lose their breadwinners, husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, nephews and loved ones,” Sukubo said, blaming the Ibeto Group for the deaths. He alleged the group’s founder had threatened anyone interfering with the movement of the vessel MV Anambra Basin from the Oceania community.
During the altercation, a boat carrying community members capsized. The sources disagree on the exact toll, but at least 7 people died and 8 were pulled from the water alive; some reports put the losses as high as 10.
Recovery teams made up of community leaders, divers, local vigilantes, and fishermen pulled the bodies from creeks and mangroves near Robertkiri. The last victims found were Davies Opiri, Secretary of the Kula Community Development Committee, and David Sukubo, younger brother of the NYCN’s president. The bodies were formally identified before being taken to a morgue in Port Harcourt.
The tugboats Delta Runner and a second one alternately named Lorra Five or Laura-V are in their custody as well. The community is holding these vessels while seeking justice for those killed.
Ibeto Group denies direct involvement, stating Max Shipping Services Limited owns the vessel. Max Shipping Services Limited denied their chairman, Chief Cletus Ibeto, was involved in the incident.
Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State addressed the community at Government House through his Chief of Staff. Fubara promised an investigation and punishment for anyone found guilty, saying, “Anybody who is involved in this incident or found culpable for whatever happened, will definitely pay for it according to the law. We are not going to sit by and allow Rivers indigenes go through this type of unnecessary death.” He called for calm while investigations are carried out and discouraged any lawlessness in response.
Sukubo Sara-Igbe declared a 21-day protest starting next week with 51,000 youths and caskets bearing the remains of the victims. In his words: “We shall protest to the residence of Chief Cletus Ibeto in Port Harcourt and shut down all his companies in Rivers State until he is arrested by security agencies and prosecuted for murder. We demand justice for the families of the victims and the affected communities.”
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed it is investigating the tragedy and has arrested two boat captains linked to the incident. A Kula delegation, led by High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, officially informed the state government. Anabs Sara-Igbe said, “It is proper we inform him (Fubara) because we don’t want to take the laws into our hands. We have the capacity to react but we don’t want to react.”
The recovered bodies were found along creeks and mangroves, then transported to Port Harcourt for formal identification.
