By Davies Iheamnachor

OMOKU—Of recent, Ibaa, Ogbakiri and Rumuekpe communities in Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State, have become unsafe to live in following the activities of cultists, who have made residents to flee the localities.

Others are Bodo in Gokana local government area, Otari in Abua/Odua local government area, Buguma in Degema local government area and Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area.

Ibaa deserted for 4 months running

Ibaa community is regarded as the most precarious among the pack. This is because of the recurrent cult activities in the town, which had been deserted for more than four months.

At the height of the infamy, all academic and economic activities in the community were placed on hold with the privately owned schools relocating to Rumuji community.

The two government secondary schools in the community managed to resume academic activities, last year, three weeks after the normal resumption date with not more than 10 students.

When Niger Delta Voice visited the community lately, very few provision stores were opened for business. The crisis started September 7, 2014, when a cult group invaded the town with heavy gunfire with nine persons feared dead and the community has remained deserted ever since despite the presence of security men.

Comrade Linus Owhondah, a native of Ibaa community said the state of things in his community was gloomy. He called on the government to come to the aid of the community adding that Ibaa community is viable to the economy of the state.

“The state of things in my community truly is not palatable but this is not a time to recount the things that may have gone wrong in the community, rather I am using this opportunity to call on relevant stakeholders and the state government to help in restoring peace in the community.

“We want the government to help us so that our people who have become refugees can go back and continue with their activities. Ibaa is a community that contributes a lot to the economy of the state so should not be abandoned.

“The government should increase security in Ibaa and other sections of the state where there is unrest.”

Chika Igwe, a native of Ikwerre, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice, said: “At this point in time, I will draw attention to the Ibaa community, which for a long time now has been under tension as a result of communal crisis.

I really think that Ibaa is a place that is dangerous as it stands now. Last week, I was at Rumuji, neighbouring community with Ibaa and I was supposed to go to Ibaa community, but when I realized the things that are happening in that community, I had no other option than to turn back because I do not want to endanger my life.”

Igwe added, “We are all humans, these days it is tough to relate with people who come from there but there are still good ones from there.

“It is a communal crisis that can be resolved and it requires the collaborative efforts of the government, individuals from Ibaa and its environs.”

Citizen Chioma Wordu acknowledged Ibaa situation at the moment, but asserted, “Ibaa crisis can be resolved because it has a direct cause. It is as a result of chieftaincy tussle.

“Once this chieftaincy issue is resolved, it will subside. So I think Ibaa may not rightly be the worst.”

Omoku scarier

Buguma in Degema local government area and Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government are two cities that are also currently gripped by tension.

The case of Omoku is for now the most frightening in the state. Of recent, there has been series of cult- related activities in the area and people do not live freely in the environment anymore.

Although, security personnel were deployed in the area, there has been several cases of robbery and kidnap in the area.

The chancy activities have forced some citizens of the area to flee to Port Harcourt.

Why I fled Omoku- Nnari

A citizen, Bright Nnari, confirmed that he relocated to Port Harcourt because of the cult activities that were worsening in Omoku.

He said that there have been series of kidnap, robbery and killing cases in the zone recently and he had no other option than to pack bag and baggage.

A villager, Lee Cletus,  said, “This issue is a bit heavy but I am talking now as a Christian, I will not say there is any community that cannot be accessed because of cult activities, but I can only say that there are communities I know very well that have a heavy cult siege.”

Wordu told Niger Delta Voice,  “Well there are number of cities and communities in the state that we can say are dangerous because of security and other issues, which can be analyzed to be frightening to human beings. One of such city currently is Omoku.”

Oil a curse

His words: “The issue at Omoku started as a result of what sociologists call Resource Cause Theory. It has to do with the issue of the oil which to a reasonable extent has generated a lot of acrimony, kidnap and killings in the area.

“There are still other cities like Buguma. Buguma is another city so dangerous in the state now. This may be as a result of its closeness to the creeks where militants see as their hide out.

“Emohua and Ogbakiri communities are another restricted area in the state.

“Omoku’s case is a bit worse because of the oil issue in the environment. Once a place is blessed with oil, which should be a means of livelihood, it turns a curse.  That is the situation in Omoku.

“They kill themselves because of the oil they have. Also there is a high level of kidnap cases recently in that area. This may not be unconnected with the negligence of the multinational oil companies in the area.”