•We’ve been in exile for 3 years – HRM Samuel Obe, Embattled Ekporo monarch
•We never attacked them; they killed our son- Chief Chief Mark Derefaka, Ogu leader
•Eleme, Ogu-Bolo LG chairs wade in

By JIMITOTA ONOYUME & MOSES BRIGHT

EKPORO—PARAMOUNT ruler of Ekporo community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRH Samuel Obe, and his subjects, who fled their homeland three years ago after the people of Ogu, a neighboring community in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of the state, allegedly invaded, setting their homes and other property ablaze, have been living in exile since 2013.

HRH Obe in an exclusive chat with Niger Delta Voice, said indigenes of his community were now scattered in several areas of the state because of the fear of Ogu people killing them if they return home.

Corpses lying in mortuary

The monarch whose palace  was razed during the invasion, asserted, “Life has not been easy at all as our houses have been destroyed, my family and I now seek refuge in  neighboring community. We have written severe petitions for a full scale and thorough investigation into the matter. “Many of my subjects are still lying in the mortuary because we cannot take them home for burial. In my case, I bought a land in Ebubu and buried my younger brother who died in the crisis.”

He further: “This dispute started when we returned back from the civil war, Ogu people have often attacked us, the latest attack was in April 2013, they invaded our community chased us out, destroyed valuables and treasures.” The monarch recalled that a former Commissioner of Police who is now an AIG, Tunde Ogunsakin, stepped into the matter when he was here, invited all parties in the crisis to a peace meeting, but they ignored resolutions reached at the meeting attacked the community.

He also said: “I am appealing to the government and security agencies to look into our case and return us  to our ancestral land because we are tired of being refugees in our own country.” Vice Chairman , Eleme United Peace Association, Comrade Prince Lekwas, who is from Ekporo, also enjoined government to step in urgently to resolve the crisis so that the villagers can return home without fear.

They’re liars—Chief Derefaka

A community leader from Ogu, Chief Mark Derefaka, dismissed the allegations by Ekporo people, saying Ekporo was part of Ogu and they were the ones that launched attacks and killed Ogu’s son. “We did not attack them, they ran away because of their evil act, they shot dead one of our sons, a pastor, so they thought we will attack them back and had to run away,” he said.

Derefaka added, “Do not forget that I told you that we never asked them to leave their homes, they ran away. They are most welcome if only they will confine themselves to Settlement 99, which our ancestor gave to them.”

LG chairs initiate peace move

Chair, Caretaker Committee, Eleme Local Government Area, Hon. Johnson Nwogu and his counterpart in Ogu/Bolo Local Government, Hon. Isaac Ibiberebuaakbo, said efforts were on to resolve the problem. The member representing Ogu/Bolo state constituency in the House of Assembly, Hon Evans Bipi, also called for peace between the two warring communities.