By: Emmanuel Nlewedum
Reactions are now trailing the killing of one Mr. Alete Minikwu by security agencies attached to the special taskforce on illegal oil bunkering activities in Rundele Community, Emohua local government area of Rivers State.
The deceased, Mr. Minikwu who hails from Mgbuelia in Rundele clan, our correspondent reports was shot dead last Sunday by a security agent following an altercation with him when the taskforce officials raided an illegal bunkering site in the area.
The incident according to a community source who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, caused pandemonium in the area which he said resulted to rain of abuses on the Chairman of Emohua local government council, Dr. Chidi Lloyd and his team as well as the Councilor representing the Rundele Ward at the EMOLGA Legislative Assembly, Hon. Emenike Wokama.
Another indigene of the community simply identified as Praise condemned the killing of Mr. Minikwu by the taskforce team describing it as act of overzealousness by the officer.
“When Emohua local government was held siege by hoodlums, they couldn’t come to fight the criminals. See how they just waisted the innocent man.
“Rivers State Government did not tell them to kill anybody, why was did they kill him?
Reacting to the development, Councilor representing Rundele Ward 7, Hon. Emenike Wokama described the incident as unfortunate.
Wokama, who confirmed the incident through his SA on Media, Bright Wilson in a post on his official facebook page said, “the victim died as a result of violent confrontation resulting to attack with a machete on the security agency”.
According to him, “Earlier today, on the directives of the Government of Rivers State as regards the operations stop the illegal Oil bunkering in Rivers State, the security agency raided the illegal oil bunkering camp at Mgbuelia community in Rundele.
“As the ‘Operation Destroy the illegal oil bunkering moved across the communities in Emohua LGA, today became the turn of the Rundele community. While the raiding went on and everyone who got the opportunity to notice the aggressive presence of the security agency ran for their lives, one of the workers in the bunkering operation sites, Mr. Alete Minikwu stood to confront the security force with a machete to attack and on the resistance of the pressure from him he was shot in the leg and consequently died thereafter in the hospital.
“Although it was an unfortunate circumstance, but the public frowned at the victim’s boldness to engage the security agency in a confrontation with a weapon knowing that he was in an illegal activity which is prohibited by law and operators highly wanted as criminals.
“While the incident brought about raging from sympathizers in the community, the security agency, Rivers State Special Taskforce and the local government taskforce has continued the search on the illegal oil bunkering camps across Emohua LGA”, he said.
In the meantime, the remains of the victim we learnt, has been released to his family for burial.
