By: Felix Ikpotor
Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area in Rivers State, Eugene Irimagha has assured that he is working with security agencies to maintain law and order in the council and to also ensure the prompt release of some indigenes of the area abducted on Saturday.
Irimagha who spoke during a live programme monitored in Port Harcourt accused external factors and groups of being responsible for the attack.
“Let me assure you that I and security agencies are working round the clock to maintain security in Bonny and ensure the release of our people. What is happening in Bonny is caused by our neighbors. We the Bonny people are always open to receive strangers and majority of this attacks are coming from our boundary lines”, he said.
Port Harcourt Spectator reports that gunmen on Saturday invaded a burial ceremony in Finiapiri-Ama in Banigo Isile-Ogono Community in the area, shooting at top politicians from the LGA.
The politicians were attending the burial of a businessman, Kenneth Miebaradima Kalada Banigo when they were waylaid by the gunmen.
The top politicians attacked during the invasion include the lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Abinye Pepple; the Chairman of Bonny LGA, David Irimagha, and Miriam Hart, leader of Bonny legislative assembly.
While Pepple and Irimagha escaped unhurt, Hart was said to have been hit severally by the bullets and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Eyewitnesses accounts said the politicians were making their way the waterfront to board their boats when the gunmen began shooting at them.
The sources said some of the guests were injured while Pepple and Irimagha took cover in a nearby bush.
It was also gathered that the gunmen abducted over three persons including Sunny Hart, Thomas Allison and Theophilus Ibiama before making their way to the nearby creeks.
Confirming the attack, Pepple in a statement through Kingsley Jumbo, his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity said: “The Rivers State lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency, Hon Abinye Blessing Pepple and the Executive Chairman of Bonny Local Government ,Hon David Rogers Irimagha earlier today escaped being abducted by masked gunmen.
“The unfortunate incident happened at Finapiri Ama (Amauda) village in Banigo Ishilegono where they attended the burial ceremony of an elder statesman in Bonny Kingdom, Late Amaopusenibo Kenneth Miebaradima Kalada Banigo when masked gunmen arrived and began shooting sporadically from the jetty.”
