Edith CHUKU
Dismayed by the attack on the Monarch of Bangah Kingdom, in Khana Local Government Area of Ogoniland, Rivers State, His Royal Majesty, Mene Suanu Baridam, the Ogoni Youth Federation OYF, has issued a stern warning against blood shed.
OYF in a statement on Sunday, condemned the attack by unknown gunmen, describing it as cowardly, provocative, unacceptable and deeply disturbing.
The Ogoni group stressed that attacks on traditional institutions was detrimental to the peace of Ogoniland and the state at large.
This attack follows a similar incident on October 5, 2024, when the King was reportedly assaulted in Agbochia, Eleme Local Government Area, in what was described as an unprovoked assassination attempt.
OYF President General, Mr. Legborsi Yamaabana, said that, “Ogoni must not become a killing field. Justice must be served swiftly and transparently.
“This attack is the second assassination attempt on the monarch within a few months. The repeated targeting of a traditional ruler known for peace-building and unity raises troubling questions about the erosion of respect for cultural institutions and ancestral authority in the land.
“Ogoni youths would not tolerate any systematic attempt to undermine or intimidate traditional rulers. The sacred stool of the ancestors must be protected at all costs.”
Yamaabana called on security agencies to as a matter of urgency arrest and prosecute those behind the attack.
According to him, failure to achieve tangible progress within 24 hours could trigger peaceful mobilisation by Ogoni youths in pursuit of justice.
Further, the group tasked the state government and relevant security authorities on need to strengthen security around the monarch, noting that his growing national relevance may have made him a target.
OYF revealed that Baridam was recently appointed Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers’ Mediation Team, a body tasked with resolving the ongoing political impasse between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in the state.
According to the Federation, any threat to his life constitutes a direct threat to peace and political stability in the State, even as they offered prayers for the monarch’s safety and strength.
